Uncovering the Truth: Is the Glowing Substance in Microwaves Really Plasma?

[8LAK]

I saw this video and several others like it, all claiming that the glowing substance created in the microwave is indeed plasma. To my (limited) knowledge on the subject, plasma is just an ionized/electrified gas. However, others say that there is no way the substance could be plasma, as real plasma would be millions of degrees and melt straight through the glass and microwave.

Is the substance created in the microwave real plasma? And if not, what exactly IS it?

 

[PhaseShifter]

I think that misconception comes from the idea of nuclear fusion using a confined plasma.

The plasma state only requires kT be high enough to remove electrons from a significant fraction of atoms or molecules in the gas, not shatter (or fuse) nuclei.