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marialisa's avatar

If UV-C helps create ozone layer and converts Oxygen to O-3. Then why isn't it called ionizing radiation?

Asked by marialisa (464points) June 2nd, 2010

Ultraviolet C radiation and other UV radiation is called non-ionizing radiation. Oxygen in the Ozone is converted to O-3. Because of this chemical change, why isn’t UV-C called ionozing radiation?

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5 Answers

LuckyGuy's avatar

In general, Ionizing radiation uses alpha, beta or gamma particles
In general , Non ionizing radiation is electomagnetic waves like radio waves, light, thermal

UV-C is considered right at the borderline between the two.
Visible light is 380 -780 nm. Above that is infrared, microwaves etc. Non ionizing
UV is around 10 to 380 Below UV is the ionizing radiation
Some people define the line at the vacuum UV range 100–180 nm, since below that wavelength, UV can only travel in a vacuum.
UV-C is 254nm. Some people call that the line because of its dangerous properties. We don’t because it still handles and operates like visible light. The optics are similar except made of different materials, usually quartz.
We consider anything less than 100 nm “ionizing”.

The EPA has a handy chart discussing this.

marialisa's avatar

I have questioned an authority on this very chart (similar) and he has denied that UV radiation is ionizing.

LuckyGuy's avatar

I, too, would not call UV A, B, C ” ionizing”. It is still light – photons.
When you start to get into the far vacuum UV it starts to get hard to draw the line.

marialisa's avatar

@worriedguy Is your real name Spiderman?

marialisa's avatar

What does this mean?
“Ozone (O3), the other allotrope of oxygen, is made by silent electric discharge through oxygen flowing through a cooled system. This can give up to a10% proportion of ozone and the ozone is purified by fractional liquefaction (with care!)”

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