How is ultraviolet used in everyday life?

Uses for UV light include getting a sun tan, detecting forged bank notes in shops, and hardening some types of dental filling. … Ultraviolet rays can be used to eliminate microbes. Hospitals use UV lamps to sterilise surgical equipment and the air in operating theatres.

What household items use ultraviolet rays?

The strongest source of UV radiation is the sun.
  • Incandescent Bulbs. Incandescent light bulbs, the most commonly used light bulbs in homes, give off small amounts of UV light. …
  • Fluorescent Bulbs. …
  • UVB Lights. …
  • Tanning Bulbs. …
  • Light from the Sun.

What is considered UV light?

Ultraviolet (UV) “light” is a type of electromagnetic radiation. … Ultraviolet radiation lies between visible light and X-rays along the electromagnetic spectrum. UV “light” spans a range of wavelengths between about 10 and 400 nanometers. The wavelength of violet light is around 400 nanometers (or 4,000 Å).

Is sunlight a UV light?

Sunlight. Sunlight is the main source of UV radiation, even though UV rays make up only a small portion of the sun’s rays. Different types of UV rays reach the ground in different amounts. About 95% of the UV rays from the sun that reach the ground are UVA rays, with the remaining 5% being UVB rays.

Where can I find ultraviolet light?

sunlight
UV radiation is present in sunlight, and constitutes about 10% of the total electromagnetic radiation output from the Sun. It is also produced by electric arcs and specialized lights, such as mercury-vapor lamps, tanning lamps, and black lights.

What are 3 uses of ultraviolet?

UV radiation is widely used in industrial processes and in medical and dental practices for a variety of purposes, such as killing bacteria, creating fluorescent effects, curing inks and resins, phototherapy and suntanning. Different UV wavelengths and intensities are used for different purposes.

Is blue light UV light?

Blue light wavelengths are part of the electromagnetic visible spectrum. These waves emit energy, the shorter the wavelength, the higher the energy. … You know it as ultraviolet light, the wavelengths between 290nm and 380nm are (UVB/A) and 380nm to 500nm are (blue light).

How do you make an ultraviolet light?

One of the most common ways of producing UV light is passing an electric current through vaporized mercury or some other gas. This type of lamp is commonly used in tanning booths and for disinfecting surfaces. The lamps are also used in black lights that cause fluorescent paints and dyes to glow.

What are 5 uses of ultraviolet waves?

5 Uses for UV Disinfection
  • Air Disinfection. Any facility that needs to disinfect air spaces can use a UV light to do so, to some extent. …
  • Water Disinfection & Wastewater Treatment. …
  • Surface Disinfection. …
  • Equipment Disinfection. …
  • Food & Beverage Disinfection.

Is ultraviolet harmful?

UV exposure increases the risk of potentially blinding eye diseases, if eye protection is not used. Overexposure to UV radiation can lead to serious health issues, including cancer. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.

Can humans see ultraviolet rays?

According to almost any source about the light spectrum, visible light, the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye, is the range of wavelengths between 400 to 700 nanometers. Ultraviolet light (UV), which ranges from 10 to 400 nanometers, is not detectable to the human eye.