The Potential Harms of Electromagnetic Radiation
Electromagnetic Radiation
Electromagnetic radiation can be useful as well as hazardous. The higher the frequency of the radiation, the more dangerous and higher potential to cause damage to the human body. Overexposure to certain types of electromagnetic radiation can be harmful.
The Danger of Microwaves
Microwaves can cause internal heating of tissues inside of the body. Microwave radiation is commonly used to transmit signals to cellphones. There is some concern that microwave radiation from our phones will be harmful to our health.
The Danger of Ultraviolet Radiation
Ultraviolet light is naturally found in sunlight. We cannot see this radiation, but our skin will react to it by turning darker. This is how humans become tan. Tanning is our bodies attempt to reduce the amount of UV radiation reaching our deeper tissue. It is important to wear sunscreen to help avoid skin cancer. Overexposure to UV radiation of our eyes can also cause blindness, which means that it can also be helpful to wear hats or sunglasses.
The Danger of Gamma Rays
Due to their extremely high energy, gamma rays have the ability to penetrate just about anything, including bones and teeth. This makes them very dangerous and gives them the potential to destroy living cells, produce gene mutations, and cause cancer. However, gamma rays can also be used to treat cancer. A medical device can send out gamma rays to target the cancerous cells.
Sources:
Information & Image 2: https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-middle-school-physical-science-flexbook-2.0/section/18.9/primary/lesson/gamma-rays-ms-ps
Information: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z66g87h/revision/4
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