An induction cooktop is a type of electric cooktop that uses electromagnetic energy to heat cookware, essentially turning the cookware into its own source of heat. It is also known as an induction stove or induction stovetop. Unlike traditional electric or gas cooktops, induction cooktops heat the cookware directly through an electromagnetic field, rather than relying on indirect radiation, convection, or thermal conduction.
Heres how an induction cooktop works:
- When you turn on the cooktop, a current flows through a copper coil under the ceramic glass, creating a magnetic field around it.
- When an induction-compatible pot or pan is placed on the cooktop, the magnetic field creates electrical currents inside the cookware, turning it into a "heater".
- The heat is generated through resistive heating, where a large eddy current flows through the resistance of a thin layer of metal in the base of the cookware.
- The iron in the pot concentrates the current, producing heat in the metal.
- Induction cooking allows for rapid temperature changes, as the electromagnetic coupling between the pan and the coil is efficient.
