Video Transcript
In general terms, why does nonionizing radiation not cause permanent damage to living cells? (A) Nonionizing radiation passes straight through living organisms. (B) Nonionizing radiation only travels short distances. (C) Nonionizing radiation does not have enough energy to damage cells. (D) Nonionizing radiation cannot penetrate living cells. Or (E) cell exposure to nonionizing radiation is minimal.
There are different types of nonionizing radiation. Looking at the electromagnetic spectrum, we can separate radiation into ionizing and nonionizing in the ultraviolet or UV range. Ionizing radiation also includes alpha, beta, and neutron particle radiation. Nonionizing and ionizing radiation differ in their wavelengths. Ionizing radiation has short wavelengths, whilst nonionizing radiation has long wavelengths. Ionizing radiation has high frequency, whilst nonionizing radiation has low frequency. But most importantly, ionizing radiation has high energy, whilst nonionizing radiation has low energy. The high energy of ionizing radiation can break bonds in molecules in a cell or ionize molecules in a cell. This can cause damage to living cells, and the damage is often permanent.
Exposure to nonionizing radiation, especially radiation with shorter wavelengths, such as UV, can lead to localized heating of tissue and possible burns. The Sun emits ultraviolet or UV radiation, which can cause sunburn. Sunburn is caused by the nonionizing part of the UV range. The ionizing part of the UV spectrum is emitted from the Sun, but it is absorbed by the ozone layer. So, the reason that ionizing radiation can cause permanent damage is because it is high energy. Since nonionizing radiation is low energy, it generally doesn’t cause permanent damage to living cells.
So, the answer to the question “In general terms, why does nonionizing radiation not cause permanent damage to living cells?” is (C) nonionizing radiation does not have enough energy to damage cells.
