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Any source that radiates low energy photons at sufficiently high flux density will inevitably cause tissue damage. For example, green light from a 5 mW laser is
by NL807 5y ago
Any source that radiates low energy photons at sufficiently high flux density will inevitably cause tissue damage. For example, green light from a 5 mW laser is fairly safe, but green light will cause serious damage from a 20 W laser source.
The comparison between ionising and non-ionising radiation is really about Watts per photon. Low energy photons need significantly more flux density (i.e. brighter) to create the same amount of damage as high energy photons. So the trope is really about you don't need a very bright ionising radiation source to give you cancer.
- rsfern 5y agoYour comment is glossing over the fact that high energy photons cause damage through a different mechanism not available to lower energy photons. A higher dose of lower energy photons may cause damage still, but not in the same way Ionizing means that a photon has enough energy to eject an electron from an atom, ionizing it. This can disrupt chemical bonds, hence the direct damage to proteins, DNA, etc.