If visible light has more energy than microwaves, why isn't visible light dangerous?












3














Light waves are a type of electromagnetic wave and they fall between 600-700 nm long. Microwaves are less energetic but seem to be more dangerous than visible light. Is visible light dangerous at all and why not?






visible-light electromagnetic-radiation microwaves







share|cite|improve this question


















  • 1




    how are microwaves dangerous?
    – ZeroTheHero
    2 hours ago










  • Related : Why do we use microwaves in microwave ovens ?
    – StephenG
    2 hours ago










  • @ZeroTheHero : depends on the intensity of microwave radiation. If it can cook our meals, it can cook us :-(. For example, it can cause blindness and sterility through thermal effect. See osha.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/hazards.html
    – akhmeteli
    1 hour ago
















3














Light waves are a type of electromagnetic wave and they fall between 600-700 nm long. Microwaves are less energetic but seem to be more dangerous than visible light. Is visible light dangerous at all and why not?






visible-light electromagnetic-radiation microwaves







share|cite|improve this question


















  • 1




    how are microwaves dangerous?
    – ZeroTheHero
    2 hours ago










  • Related : Why do we use microwaves in microwave ovens ?
    – StephenG
    2 hours ago










  • @ZeroTheHero : depends on the intensity of microwave radiation. If it can cook our meals, it can cook us :-(. For example, it can cause blindness and sterility through thermal effect. See osha.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/hazards.html
    – akhmeteli
    1 hour ago














3












3








3







Light waves are a type of electromagnetic wave and they fall between 600-700 nm long. Microwaves are less energetic but seem to be more dangerous than visible light. Is visible light dangerous at all and why not?






visible-light electromagnetic-radiation microwaves







share|cite|improve this question













Light waves are a type of electromagnetic wave and they fall between 600-700 nm long. Microwaves are less energetic but seem to be more dangerous than visible light. Is visible light dangerous at all and why not?






visible-light electromagnetic-radiation microwaves




visible-light electromagnetic-radiation microwaves






share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question











share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question










asked 2 hours ago









suse

1544




1544








  • 1




    how are microwaves dangerous?
    – ZeroTheHero
    2 hours ago










  • Related : Why do we use microwaves in microwave ovens ?
    – StephenG
    2 hours ago










  • @ZeroTheHero : depends on the intensity of microwave radiation. If it can cook our meals, it can cook us :-(. For example, it can cause blindness and sterility through thermal effect. See osha.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/hazards.html
    – akhmeteli
    1 hour ago














  • 1




    how are microwaves dangerous?
    – ZeroTheHero
    2 hours ago










  • Related : Why do we use microwaves in microwave ovens ?
    – StephenG
    2 hours ago










  • @ZeroTheHero : depends on the intensity of microwave radiation. If it can cook our meals, it can cook us :-(. For example, it can cause blindness and sterility through thermal effect. See osha.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/hazards.html
    – akhmeteli
    1 hour ago








1




1




how are microwaves dangerous?
– ZeroTheHero
2 hours ago




how are microwaves dangerous?
– ZeroTheHero
2 hours ago












Related : Why do we use microwaves in microwave ovens ?
– StephenG
2 hours ago




Related : Why do we use microwaves in microwave ovens ?
– StephenG
2 hours ago












@ZeroTheHero : depends on the intensity of microwave radiation. If it can cook our meals, it can cook us :-(. For example, it can cause blindness and sterility through thermal effect. See osha.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/hazards.html
– akhmeteli
1 hour ago




@ZeroTheHero : depends on the intensity of microwave radiation. If it can cook our meals, it can cook us :-(. For example, it can cause blindness and sterility through thermal effect. See osha.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/hazards.html
– akhmeteli
1 hour ago










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















3














If you stare at the Sun you’ll go blind. And if you spend a lot of time in the sun, you’re likely to get skin cancers. So visible light seems plenty dangerous to me.



Some of the damage may actually be from infrared and ultraviolet light, but these are close in frequency to visible light and very far from microwaves.



By the way, the intensity also matters, not just the frequency. In terms of photons, it matters not only how energetic each photon is, but also how many photons are arriving per second.






share|cite|improve this answer

















  • 1




    not to forget laser guns,
    – anna v
    1 hour ago










  • @annav I started a fire at DESY with a CW polarimeter laser, and burned myself with a pulsed polarimeter laser on the other side of the ring.
    – JEB
    1 hour ago










  • @JEB, well done sir!!!
    – niels nielsen
    24 mins ago











Your Answer





StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
});
});
}, "mathjax-editing");

StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "151"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});

function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});


}
});














draft saved

draft discarded


















StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fphysics.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f452592%2fif-visible-light-has-more-energy-than-microwaves-why-isnt-visible-light-danger%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);

Post as a guest















Required, but never shown

























1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









3














If you stare at the Sun you’ll go blind. And if you spend a lot of time in the sun, you’re likely to get skin cancers. So visible light seems plenty dangerous to me.



Some of the damage may actually be from infrared and ultraviolet light, but these are close in frequency to visible light and very far from microwaves.



By the way, the intensity also matters, not just the frequency. In terms of photons, it matters not only how energetic each photon is, but also how many photons are arriving per second.






share|cite|improve this answer

















  • 1




    not to forget laser guns,
    – anna v
    1 hour ago










  • @annav I started a fire at DESY with a CW polarimeter laser, and burned myself with a pulsed polarimeter laser on the other side of the ring.
    – JEB
    1 hour ago










  • @JEB, well done sir!!!
    – niels nielsen
    24 mins ago
















3














If you stare at the Sun you’ll go blind. And if you spend a lot of time in the sun, you’re likely to get skin cancers. So visible light seems plenty dangerous to me.



Some of the damage may actually be from infrared and ultraviolet light, but these are close in frequency to visible light and very far from microwaves.



By the way, the intensity also matters, not just the frequency. In terms of photons, it matters not only how energetic each photon is, but also how many photons are arriving per second.






share|cite|improve this answer

















  • 1




    not to forget laser guns,
    – anna v
    1 hour ago










  • @annav I started a fire at DESY with a CW polarimeter laser, and burned myself with a pulsed polarimeter laser on the other side of the ring.
    – JEB
    1 hour ago










  • @JEB, well done sir!!!
    – niels nielsen
    24 mins ago














3












3








3






If you stare at the Sun you’ll go blind. And if you spend a lot of time in the sun, you’re likely to get skin cancers. So visible light seems plenty dangerous to me.



Some of the damage may actually be from infrared and ultraviolet light, but these are close in frequency to visible light and very far from microwaves.



By the way, the intensity also matters, not just the frequency. In terms of photons, it matters not only how energetic each photon is, but also how many photons are arriving per second.






share|cite|improve this answer












If you stare at the Sun you’ll go blind. And if you spend a lot of time in the sun, you’re likely to get skin cancers. So visible light seems plenty dangerous to me.



Some of the damage may actually be from infrared and ultraviolet light, but these are close in frequency to visible light and very far from microwaves.



By the way, the intensity also matters, not just the frequency. In terms of photons, it matters not only how energetic each photon is, but also how many photons are arriving per second.







share|cite|improve this answer












share|cite|improve this answer



share|cite|improve this answer










answered 2 hours ago









G. Smith

4,636919




4,636919








  • 1




    not to forget laser guns,
    – anna v
    1 hour ago










  • @annav I started a fire at DESY with a CW polarimeter laser, and burned myself with a pulsed polarimeter laser on the other side of the ring.
    – JEB
    1 hour ago










  • @JEB, well done sir!!!
    – niels nielsen
    24 mins ago














  • 1




    not to forget laser guns,
    – anna v
    1 hour ago










  • @annav I started a fire at DESY with a CW polarimeter laser, and burned myself with a pulsed polarimeter laser on the other side of the ring.
    – JEB
    1 hour ago










  • @JEB, well done sir!!!
    – niels nielsen
    24 mins ago








1




1




not to forget laser guns,
– anna v
1 hour ago




not to forget laser guns,
– anna v
1 hour ago












@annav I started a fire at DESY with a CW polarimeter laser, and burned myself with a pulsed polarimeter laser on the other side of the ring.
– JEB
1 hour ago




@annav I started a fire at DESY with a CW polarimeter laser, and burned myself with a pulsed polarimeter laser on the other side of the ring.
– JEB
1 hour ago












@JEB, well done sir!!!
– niels nielsen
24 mins ago




@JEB, well done sir!!!
– niels nielsen
24 mins ago


















draft saved

draft discarded




















































Thanks for contributing an answer to Physics Stack Exchange!


  • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

But avoid …



  • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

  • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.


To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.





Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.


Please pay close attention to the following guidance:


  • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

But avoid …



  • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

  • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




draft saved


draft discarded














StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fphysics.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f452592%2fif-visible-light-has-more-energy-than-microwaves-why-isnt-visible-light-danger%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);

Post as a guest















Required, but never shown





















































Required, but never shown














Required, but never shown












Required, but never shown







Required, but never shown

































Required, but never shown














Required, but never shown












Required, but never shown







Required, but never shown







-

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding the information contained in the Deep Space Network XML data?

Image
up vote 1 down vote favorite NASA's Deep Space Network activity can be viewed conveniently at https://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html but if you would like data in a more raw XML form, it can be accessed as described in this answer Below is a small Python script that reads the XML into a list of dictionaries, and saves it to disk as a JSON. The dictionaries are organized at the higher level by dish, then by spacecraft per dish. Question: What are the most-likely meanings of all the data field contained in the Deep Space Network XML data? This is the example url from the other answer, used in the script below: https://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/data/1365107113.xml def dictify(r,root=True): # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2148119/how-to-convert-an-xml-string-to-a-dictionary-in-python/30923963#30923963 if root: ret
Read more

Ross-on-Wye

Image
Ross-on-Wye Welsh: Rhosan ar Wy Town centre, looking north from Market House Ross-on-Wye Ross-on-Wye shown within Herefordshire Population 10,700 (2011) [1] OS grid reference SO597241 Unitary authority Herefordshire Ceremonial county Herefordshire Region West Midlands Country England Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town ROSS-ON-WYE Postcode district HR9 Dialling code 01989 Police West Mercia Fire Hereford and Worcester Ambulance West Midlands EU Parliament West Midlands UK Parliament Hereford and South Herefordshire List of places UK England Herefordshire 51°54′50″N 2°35′13″W  /  51.914°N 2.587°W  / 51.914; -2.587 Coordinates: 51°54′50″N 2°35′13″W  /  51.914°N 2.587°W  / 51.914; -2.587 Ross-on-Wye (Welsh: Rhosan ar Wy [2] ) is a small market town with a population of 10,700 (according to the 2011 census), in south eastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on
Read more

Eastern Orthodox Church

Image
Not to be confused with Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Christianity, or Eastern Catholic Churches. "Eastern Orthodoxy", "Orthodox Church", "Orthodox Catholic Church", and "Orthodox Christian Church" redirect here. For other uses, see Orthodox (disambiguation). This article may be too long to read and navigate comfortably . The readable prose size is 132 kilobytes. Please consider splitting content into sub-articles, condensing it, or adding or removing subheadings. ( January 2018 ) Part of a series on the Eastern Orthodox Church Mosaic of Christ Pantocrator, Hagia Sophia Overview Structure Theology (History of theology) Liturgy Church history Holy Mysteries View of salvation View of Mary View of icons Background Crucifixion / Resurrection / Ascension of Jesus Christianity Christian Church Apostolic succession Four Marks of the Church Orthodoxy Organization Autocephaly Patriarchate
Read more