How does my microwave cook my food?

It heats it up! Whilst this is correct, it's not holistically accurate.

Let's start with the known fact that everything is made of ATOMS. The microwave, the food and the dish/plate.

Microwaves are a specific wavelength and are made of photons.

The electricity (electrons) running through the microwave creates PHOTONS through the ELECTRONS being excited to a higher energy level of their respective atom and then dropping back to a lower energy level. The electron emits a PHOTON of the MICROWAVE wavelength which then travels at the SPEED OF LIGHT inside the microwave machine.

Most of these PHOTONS will be absorbed by the electrons of the atoms in your food. This gives the atoms energy and allows them to move. This softens your food and heats it up as the food is constantly being hit by PHOTONS. Some atoms in the food will evaporate (probably the water in it) and when the timer pings, the electron flow is stopped and thus so is the PHOTONS from being emitted by the microwave. The food is piping hot as its atoms have been excited by the huge flux of photons and it's steaming some atoms off still. The food (or rather the atoms) is now ready to be eaten.

Thanks, Adam.

Much love. :-) X