Have you ever cleaned out those ice cube trays and instead of dumping them in the sink decided to melt them quickly? I bet you popped the cubes in the microwave to heat them up fast, only to find it didnโt work. So, why doesnโt ice melt in the microwave?
Well, it all has to do with science! Microwaves work to heat things by creating movement within molecules. Ice has a tough crystalline composition that doesnโt let the molecules move around much, so it takes a long time to generate any heat.
Letโs explore that a little further!
You can also learn more about how hot a microwave gets to understand the heating process better.
Why Does My Microwave Not Melt Ice?
Your microwave doesnโt melt ice simply because it requires a lot more power to move the molecules around. If you place a cup of liquid water and a cup of ice side by side in the microwave, the liquid will boil before the cubes start to melt (Source).
In short: if you leave it in there for long enough, eventually youโll be able to melt the ice. However, you could save the energy and just leave the ice on the counter or in the sink!
Despite being a seeming waste of energy, at least microwaving ice isnโt potentially damaging to your appliance, like what happens when you microwave nothing!
So, I Canโt Microwave Ice to Melt It?
Well, you can technically microwave ice to melt it, but it will take longer than youโd think. Around 3 minutes on high is when youโll begin to see real results.
Microwaves are most effective on water in its liquid form. As the ice cubes begin to melt, even on their own at room temperature regardless of the microwave, theyโll create some liquid.
The liquid water is highly affected by the microwave, and thus will heat quickly, exponentially helping to melt the remaining ice.
Similarly, when youโre heating a frozen food, the heat is being generated by molecule movement in the food itself, which works to heat up and get rid of the layer of ice.
Then Why Do People Put Ice in the Microwave?
Well, people donโt generally put only ice in the microwave. However, itโs a common practice to add an ice cube to a plate of food youโre reheating. This is because the heat of the food will cause the ice cube to release some water, which then turns to steam.
The steam helps to re-moisturize your food, leaving you a more pleasant texture than day-old, dried out fish! Once the food is heated, you can simply pluck out the ice cube and enjoy.
Ice is used here as an alternative to adding liquid water to begin with. Honestly, I find itโs much more regulatable and yields better results โ thereโs no guessing how much water to add and not turn things into a soupy mess.
What Happens If I Put an Ice Cube in the Microwave with Rice?
When you put an ice cube in the microwave with rice youโre reheating, it adds that much needed moisture during the cooking process. Instead of coming out with dry, gross rice, youโll achieve an effect much like the original time you had your rice.
See, rice tends to lose moisture when itโs stored, and releases even more during the reheating process. This loss of water content is what dries things out. By adding an ice cube on top, youโll create steam, which helps to restore the much-needed liquid.
The rice gets warm enough to cause the ice cube to melt slightly, releasing the perfect amount of water to make your rice a much more palatable texture!
Now, that said, this ice cube trick doesnโt work so well with foods that are already plenty moist on their own. If you add the moisture to something thatโs not dried out, youโll end up with a soggy mess. For example, donโt add ice when making grilled cheese in the microwave.
However, for something lacking moisture, I think the ice cube is a great hack to know!
In Conclusion
Tough hydrogen bonds are the culprit for why ice doesnโt melt in the microwave. However, that trait is actually what makes it a useful kitchen technique sometimes!
By adding ice to food youโre heating which lacks moisture, the ice will melt from the heat of the food, generating the perfect amount of steam. In turn, this prevents your dish from drying out, as microwave reheating so often does.
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