9.2 Penetrating ability

Penetrating ability of electromagnetic radiation

Different kinds of electromagnetic radiation have different penetrabilities. For example, if we take the human body as the object. Infrared light is emitted by the human body. Visible light is reflected off the surface of the human body, ultra-violet light (from sunlight) damages the skin, but X-rays are able to penetrate the skin and bone and allow for pictures of the inside of the human body to be taken.

If we compare the energy of visible light to the energy of X-rays, we find that X-rays have a much higher energy. Usually, kinds of electromagnetic radiation with higher energy have higher penetrabilities than those with low energies.

Certain kinds of electromagnetic radiation such as ultra-violet radiation, X-rays and gamma rays are very dangerous. Radiation such as these are called ionising radiation. Ionising radiation transfers energy as it passes through matter, breaking molecular bonds and creating ions.

Excessive exposure to radiation, including sunlight, X-rays and all nuclear radiation, can cause destruction of biological tissue. Luckily, the Earth's atmosphere protects us and other living beings on Earth from most of the harmful EM radiation.

Ultraviolet(uv) radiation and the skin

UVA and UVB are different ranges of frequencies for ultraviolet (UV) light. UVA and UVB can damage collagen fibres which results in the speeding up skin aging. In general, UVA is the least harmful, but it can contribute to the aging of skin, DNA damage and possibly skin cancer. It penetrates deeply and does not cause sunburn. Because it does not cause reddening of the skin (erythema) it cannot be measured in the SPF testing. There is no good clinical measurement of the blocking of UVA radiation, but it is important that sunscreen block both UVA and UVB.

UVB light can cause skin cancer. The radiation excites DNA molecules in skin cells, resulting in possible mutations, which can cause cancer. In particular, the layer of ozone in the atmosphere protects us from UVB radiation. The connection between UVB radiation and cancer is one of the reasons for concern about the depletion of ozone in the atmosphere.

As a defense against UV radiation, the body tans when exposed to moderate (depending on skin type) levels of radiation by releasing the brown pigment melanin. This helps to block UV penetration and prevent damage to the vulnerable skin tissue deeper down. Sun-tan lotion, often referred to as sunblock or sunscreen, partly blocks UV radiation and is widely available. These products have a sun protection factor (SPF) rating (usually indicated on the container) that indicate how much protection the product provides against UVB radiation. The SPF rating does not specify protection against UVA radiation, which penetrates deeper into the skin and cause damage to the underlying tissue, which can (in turn) cause wrinkles and increases the risk of cancer. Some sunscreen lotion now includes compounds such as titanium dioxide which helps protect against UVA rays. Other UVA blocking compounds found in sunscreen include zinc oxide and avobenzone.