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Non-ionizing
radiation refers to any type of electromagnetic radiation that does not
carry enough energy to completely remove an electron from an atom or
molecule. Non-ionizing radiation is
described as a series of energy waves composed of oscillating electric and
magnetic (or electromagnetic) fields (EMF) traveling at the speed of
light.
Non-ionizing
radiation can be characterized by a wavelength and
a frequency. The wavelength is the distance
covered by one complete cycle of the electromagnetic wave, while the
frequency is the number of electromagnetic waves passing a given point in
one second.
The
light from the sun that reaches the earth is largely composed of
non-ionizing radiation. Visible light is a form of non-ionizing radiation
that we can see. Visible light has wavelengths in the range of 400 to
700 nanometers. It stretches from the color red on
the longest wavelength to the color violet on the shortest wavelength of
visible light. About 49% of the energy that reaches the earth from
the sun is in the form of visible light.
Other
types of non-ionizing radiation are:
Occupational Safety
and Health Agency (OSHA) on Non-Ionizing Radiation
Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) examples of Radiation Emitting Devices
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