[Agent-X]

I've been searching for interesting ways to obtain radioactive materials.

Smoke detectors 1980s(+?)
Clocks from the 1960s
Toothpaste from the 1950s

I'm wondering what type of radioactive element(s) a microwave has. I know it gives off radiation, so it must have something inside of it..

[jdurg]

Absolutely nothing.  Microwaves are generated via a high intensity radio frequency, I believe, and there is absolutely nothing radioactive involved.

[Agent-X]

but yet there can be radiation leakage from a microwave?

[xiankai]

if u open the swinging door while it is on i think

[Mitch]

but yet there can be radiation leakage from a microwave?

Heat is a type of radiation called infrared radiation but it doesn't need a radioactive material to be generated. The same is true for microwave radiation, it doesn't need to be created from radioactive materials. In fact, microwaves are not considered radiation in the sense your thinking of like gamma radiation or x-ray radiation, because microwaves do not ionize materials. Microwaves just increases the vibrations in O-H bonds, its not really of any concern. Unless you stick yourself in the microwave.

[arnyk]

Part of the EM spectrum.

[constant thinker]

Microwaves are part of the electro magnetic spectrum. They are in the 2.4GHz range I think. They were originally devolped as radar for the British. It was later discovered though that they caused the O-H bonds to vibrate producing heat as agent-x said. There is absolutely nothing radioactive about a microwave as jdurg said.