Eli5: Why do different types of food heat unevenly in the microwave?

Question

For example: a playe containing rice and a side, the rice comes out much hotter than the side despite getting microwaved at the same time

In: Physics

Answer 1

Micro waves are very good at heating up liquid water, they are fairly bad at heating up ice or fats. Microwaves use something called dielectric heating, more complicated science stuff follows. Dielectric heating is when the polarity of a molecule aligns itself in an electromagnetic field and as that undergoes changes like with a microwave oven the molecule rapidly moves heating up in the process. Communication devices can also use microwaves and potentially can also cause dielectric heating. https://youtu.be/V0dtq3rCEjw