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In the kitchen of nearly every home in America there is a refrigerator. Every 15 minutes or so you hear the motor turn on, and it magically keeps things cold. Without refrigeration, we'd be throwing out our leftovers instead of saving them for another meal.

The refrigerator is one of those miracles of modern living that totally changes life. Prior to refrigeration, the only way to preserve meat was to salt it, and iced beverages in the summer were a real luxury.

The basic idea behind a refrigerator is very simple: It uses the evaporation of a liquid to absorb heat. In this article, you'll find out how your refrigerator performs its magic based on this simple principle. We'll also look at cold packs, electronic coolers and the propane refrigerators found in RVs.

Common Refrigerator Questions What is the ideal temperature for a refrigerator? Why is the back of a refrigerator painted black? What is the function of the fan in a refrigerator? How does a frost-free refrigerator work? How can I tell if the light in my refrigerator goes off or not when I close the door?