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Scientists generally agree it is not harmful except if the intensity is enough to cause heating of the tissues. For example a microwave cooker produces enough heat to cause harm, which is why the door cannot be opened while it's switched on. However it is a controversial subject that includes use of cell phones and other radio frequency transmitters. Today the focus is not on whether it is harmful, but how much and at what levels it is harmful.

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Q: Is non ionizing radiation harmful to living things?
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Why is radiation harmful to both living and nonliving things?

This depends on the kind of radiation. Most electromagnetic radiation is harmless (e.g. broadcast radio) or only very slightly harmful (e.g. microwave, infrared, and visible light can cause heating of materials and thus thermal changes). However very high energy electromagnetic radiation (e.g. ultraviolet, x-ray, gamma ray) and the particulate radiation of radioactive decay and cosmic rays has enough energy to break the bonds holding molecules together, causing chemical changes.


What are some positive and negative things about ultraviolet light?

UV rays are electromagnetic waves have shorter wavelength than that of visible light(10nm to 400nm) It can cause chemical changes, hence causes many substance to glow It is non ionizing radiation It can cause damage to living beings(harmful to humans) and is blocked by ozone layer It may leads to cancer It produces heat in surface of earth Used to prevent counterfeiting UV rays are used for wireless communication also


The Earth's magnetic field helps protect living things from?

From solar radiation and cosmic rays


What harm can radiation can cause to living tissue?

When radiation strikes complex biological molecules such as proteins or nucleic acids ,it may fracture the molecules and prevent their proper functioning.This can result in loss of cell vitality,decreased enzyme activity, initiation of cancer and genetic mutations.


What are the Two harmful things the answer?

Two things that are harmful

Related questions

What kind of waves are harmful to living things?

All high frequency radiation e.g. X rays , gamma rays etc. are harmful to living things .


Why is the ozone layer important to all living things?

Ozone layer reflect UV radiation. UV radiation is very harmful


What causes of mutation in living organisms?

Many things: ionizing radiation, free radicals, various chemicals, copying errors, retroviruses, etc.


Which type of radiation-alpha beta or gamma- is most dangerous to living things?

Ionizing radiation can be dangerous to living things, as it upsets the chemistry in living cells by breaking covalent bonds between atoms. Even if the radiation is not ionizing, such as in neutron flux, damage can be done there as well, due to activation processes that change the chemical identity of atoms.


What layer is located in the stratosphere and protects living things from getting harmful radiation?

the oz-zone layer :)


Is it true nitrogen gas is needed to help protect living things from harmful radiation?

No it is not. Ozone is used to protect us.


What are the advantages and disadvantages of microwave radiation for heating a room?

The advantages and disadvantages of microwave radiation is that it is extremely harmful to humans and living things in general however it is very useful.


Why is ionizing radiation dangerous?

Ionizing radiation by definition is radiation with a high enough energy to remove electrons from their orbits. This is dangerous because it emits x-rays, damages tissue, can cause long term damage like cancer, and heats things up.


What is nonionizing radiation?

Ionizing radiation causes some of the atoms it strikes to be ionized. There are several different types: alpha particles, beta particles, neutrons, gamma rays, x-rays, and ultraviolet light. Non-ionizing radiation, which does not ionize atoms, includes visible light, infrared light, radio waves, and so on.To understand the biological effects of radiation we must first understand the difference between ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation. In general, two things can happen when radiation is absorbed by matter: excitation or ionization.Excitation occurs when the radiation excites the motion of the atoms or molecules, or excites an electron from an occupied orbital into an empty, higher-energy orbital.Ionization occurs when the radiation carries enough energy to remove an electron from an atom or molecule.Because living tissue is 70-90% water by weight, the dividing line between radiation that excites electrons and radiation that forms ions is often assumed to be equal to the ionization of water: 1216 kJ/mol. Radiation that carries less energy can only excite the water molecule. It is therefore called non-ionizing radiation. Radiation that carries more energy than 1216 kJ/mol can remove an electron from a water molecule, and is therefore called ionizing radiation.Related links are provided below.


Do microwave ovens cook with radiation?

Yes, microwaves cook with radiation. Electromagnetic radiation in the microwave band. It's non-ionizing, but it works well to heat things up.


Are bacteria helpful or harmful to Earth's living things?

things are harmful to earth


What is the risk of ionizing radiation huh?

Ionizing radiation will either steal electrons from of forcefully give electrons to other atoms. This is bad for cells and living things, as they want the atoms to remain the way they are, and when they change it can badly hurt cells or kills them. This is because the atom may ionically bond with another atom and become unusable, or simply alter its solubility or other features that it was needed to do.