No, infrared waves and microwaves are not the same thing. They belong to different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum and have different properties.
Infrared (IR) waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with longer wavelengths than visible light but shorter wavelengths than microwaves. Infrared radiation is commonly associated with heat and is often used for applications such as thermal imaging, remote controls, and infrared heaters. Infrared waves have frequencies ranging from about 300 gigahertz (GHz) to 400 terahertz (THz) and wavelengths from approximately 750 nanometers (nm) to 1 millimeter (mm).
Microwaves, on the other hand, are electromagnetic waves with longer wavelengths than infrared waves. Microwaves have frequencies ranging from about 300 megahertz (MHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz) and wavelengths from approximately 1 millimeter (mm) to 1 meter (m). Microwaves are commonly used for communication, cooking (in microwave ovens), radar systems, and wireless power transmission, as mentioned earlier.
While both infrared waves and microwaves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, they have different frequencies, wavelengths, and applications. Infrared waves are typically associated with thermal radiation and heat, while microwaves have a wider range of uses, including communication and energy transfer.