Yes, the radiation used in a microwave oven is a type of electromagnetic radiation known as microwaves, and it consists of photons. Photons are fundamental particles of light and electromagnetic radiation. They are the carriers of electromagnetic force and have both wave-like and particle-like properties, depending on how they are observed.
In a microwave oven, the microwave radiation is produced by a magnetron, which generates electromagnetic waves with a specific frequency (around 2.45 gigahertz) that corresponds to the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. These waves are made up of photons, which carry the energy that causes the water molecules in food to vibrate and generate heat.
When you turn on a microwave oven and place food inside, the photons in the microwave radiation interact with the water molecules in the food, causing them to absorb energy and heat up. This is how microwave ovens efficiently and quickly heat food from the inside out. As mentioned earlier, the radiation used in microwave ovens is non-ionizing, meaning it lacks the energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms or molecules (ionization), and as a result, it is not harmful to health in typical household uses.