How does a microwave defrost food without cooking it?

In any frozen food, there are some water molecules that are relatively free to turn about. These molecules may be at the surfaces of ice crystals or sitting on the surface of food particles. These water molecules can absorb microwaves and heat. However, the heating is very uneven because as soon as any water crystal absorbs enough heat to melt, the resulting liquid water will begin to absorb microwaves much more strongly. That is why defrosting must be done slowly. Then the microwave deposited heat will have time to flow through the food and melt it uniformly. Otherwise, you can end up with boiling hot spots mixed together with frozen icy spots.

The definition of temperature is how fast the molecules are moving. In a microwave the magnetron produces waves about 4 inches long which can go through glass and plastic and paper, but in food they cause the molecules to vibrate faster, in other words, go up in temperature. If the microwave is set for too long it will start cooking the meat. Metal is not used in a microwave because the waves bounce off it and could go back into the magnetron and damage it. If the microwave gets turned on with nothing in it the same will happen, you see sparks. It is safe to defrost meat in a microwave.

It doesn't. you're always going to get semi-cooked spots here and there, which is why if you defrost food in a microwave, you have to cook it immediately afterwards. defrosting foods in a microwave should be outlawed. it's like throwing your money in the garbage. that is, if you bought your product because you wanted it to taste good, and not just for sustenance.

If you defrost something, listen to your microwave--it goes through periods of actually heating it, then it'll kick down to just the fan, and whatever makes the microwave actually cook shuts off.

It does, but you have to watch it carefully. It'll ask what type of food, the weight and then it'll begin to defrost. It'll pause every minute or so and ask you to break apart. If it is an expensive piece of meat, I'd submerge it in hot water.

A microwave heats up things from the middle out. It'snot like an oven or toaster.

never use a mic to defrost meat