Final answer:
Microwave ovens heat food by causing the water molecules in the food to oscillate and rotate, generating heat. The dish the food is on tends not to heat because it does not contain water molecules and cannot absorb the microwaves.
Step-by-step explanation:
Microwave ovens heat food but tend not to heat the dish the food is on because only certain molecules, such as water, can absorb microwaves. The microwaves in the oven create an alternating electric field which causes the water molecules in food to oscillate and rotate, generating heat. The dish, on the other hand, does not contain water molecules and therefore does not absorb the microwaves, causing it to remain relatively unheated.