The perception of heat is not solely determined by the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. The sensation of heat is related to the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter, particularly how it is absorbed and converted into thermal energy.
When electromagnetic radiation with longer wavelengths, such as microwaves and infrared, interacts with matter, it can be absorbed by molecules, causing them to vibrate and increase their thermal energy. This increase in molecular motion translates into a rise in temperature, which we perceive as heat. Microwaves, for example, are specifically tuned to excite water molecules, which are present in many foods, leading to their heating.
Visible light, on the other hand, has shorter wavelengths and carries more energy per photon compared to microwave or infrared radiation. However, visible light interacts with matter in different ways. When visible light strikes an object, it can be reflected, transmitted, or absorbed. For objects that appear colored, they absorb certain wavelengths of light and reflect or transmit others, which our eyes perceive as specific colors. But in general, visible light does not cause significant heating effects like microwaves or infrared radiation because it is not as readily absorbed by most materials.
So, while visible light has higher energy per photon than microwave or infrared radiation, it interacts differently with matter, leading to different effects. The perception of heat is primarily associated with the absorption of radiation by matter and the subsequent increase in thermal energy, rather than just the energy carried by individual photons.