Microwave‐Heating Temperature Profiles for Thin Slabs Compared to Maxwell and Lambert Law Predictions

ABSTRACT Slabs of agar gel were heated in a microwave oven. Temperatures were measured at various depths into the sample to experimentally determine the internal temperature profile. These were compared to power and temperature profiles predicted from Lambert's law, Maxwell's field equations and a Combined equation. Lambert's law and the Combined equation predicted a much slower heating rate than found experimentally, while Maxwell's field equations gave a much more accurate prediction. Because of the internal standing waves that are created, a small variation in sample thickness could make a large difference in heating rate for thin samples.