Can you get sunburn by visible light?

Answer 1

It is not possible to get a sunburn due to exposure to visible light.

This is a common misconception that people have because they observe that on a bright day, you are more likely to get a heat stroke and/or get a sunburn.

Visible light is in the EMR spectrum at a wavelength range of 400 nanometers to 700 nanometers. This is the light that humans can see and is defined as the energy that causes vision.

At a longer wavelength, we find the Infrared section of the EMR spectrum at a frequency range of approximately 0.7 micrometers to 300 micrometers. This is the energy that we perceive as "heat," and is the measure of the kinetic energy of particles.

At a shorter wavelength than light, there is Ultraviolet Light (or Ultraviolet Radiation). It is found at a frequency of 10 nanometers to 400 nanometers. This is a type of energy that we cannot perceive and can be a cause of sunburns and skin cancers (when enough of it is present).

In space, astronauts need to be very aware of these radiation ranges and their intensities and when they will reach Earth. On Earth's surface, however, our ozone layer reflects much of the harmful radiation from reaching us. The amounts are much less than the astronauts can receive, but it is still present.

Reference for EMR ranges: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation#Electromagnetic_spectrum

Answer 2

Visible light is not energetic enough to cause the tissue damage we feel as sunburn. An extremely bright or concentrated light (such as a laser) can, however, cause actual burns as the portion of it absorbed by the skin is converted to heat.