Dangers of High-Energy EM Waves Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What harmful effect can excessive exposure to microwaves have on the body?

Internal heating of body cells.

What harmful effect can excessive exposure to infrared have on the body?

Skin burns.

What harmful effects can excessive exposure to ultraviolet have on the body?

Damage to surface cells and eyes, leading to skin cancer and eye conditions.

What harmful effect can excessive exposure to x-rays and gamma rays have on the body?

Mutation or damage to cells in the body, which can cause cancer.
They are ionising.

How does the potential danger of an electromagnetic wave change across the spectrum?

It increases as frequency increases.
e.g. gamma rays are far more dangerous than radio waves.

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum in sunlight should people protect themselves from, and with what two precautions?

Ultraviolet — use sunscreen and sunglasses (or cover the skin).