What's RF - Ionizing RF Radiation -
non- Ionizing RF
"Ionization" is a process by which
electrons are stripped from atoms and molecules. This process can produce
molecular changes that can lead to damage in biological tissue, including
effects on DNA, the genetic
material. This process requires interaction with high levels of
electromagnetic energy. Those types of electromagnetic radiation with enough
energy to ionize biological material include X-radiation and gamma
radiation. Therefore, X-rays and gamma rays are examples of ionizing
radiation.
The energy levels associated with RF and
microwave radiation, on the other hand, are not great enough to cause the
ionization of atoms and molecules and RF energy is, therefore, is a type of
non-ionizing radiation.
Other types of non-ionizing radiation
include visible light, infrared radiation and other forms of electromagnetic
radiation with relatively low frequencies.
Often the term "radiation" is used to
apply to ionizing radiation such as that associated with nuclear power
plants. Ionizing radiation should not be confused with the nuclear radiation
lower-energy to non-ionizing, radiation with respect to possible biological
effects, since the mechanisms of action are quite different
