This question is about three different laboratory and industrial heating methods.
On a traditional electric hotplate, a solid aluminum block is submerged in silicone oil inside a stainless steel beaker.
Describe how thermal energy is transferred from the hotplate to heat up the entire aluminum block.
An industrial microwave dryer is used to cure and dry a large, wet block of gypsum plaster.
Explain how energy is transferred to heat the entire plaster block, and discuss whether the common industrial claim that microwaves "dry materials from the inside out" is physically correct.
In an induction heating setup, an induction coil is positioned directly below a thin ceramic platform.
A stainless steel beaker containing silicone oil and a submerged solid aluminum block is placed on the platform. A high-frequency alternating current is switched on in the induction coil. The coil itself does not directly heat the ceramic platform.
Describe how energy is transferred to heat up the entire aluminum block.
