If Gamma rays are so dangerous because they pass through everything, then why are AM/FM waves not as different?
Does it have to do with the fact they have different freq.?

yes, higher freq = higher energy

E = h*f, h = Planck's constant and f = the frequency of the wave. Gamma rays have frequencies that are vastly higher (>10 orders of magnitude, greater than the difference between a micrometer and 10 kilometers) than AM waves. This leads to them having far higher amounts of energy.

You nailed it right on the head when you thought it had to do with the frequency

what now?

but what does the freq. do that is so harmful to our bodies? Because theyre all penetrating
something to do with atoms?

They're not all penetrating, though. Many radioactive substances can't even hurt you unless you swallow them, because alpha radiation (like what is inside of all smoke detectors) has too low of energy to pass through even a sheet of paper, let alone human skin.

also, i believe radio waves and what not are only able to cause rotation of bonds and vibrations as well... anything over UV can then excite electrons to next state. then a few steps past end of visible light, they are able to break bonds which is what you dont really want.

Gamma rays have the capability of chopping through cellular structures and causing mutations/killing cells.



This post was edited by general_patton on Nov 28 2010 06:58pm

gamma rays bump electrones away from their atoms, ionizing the atoms in the cells which causes mutations like general_patton said

this

it break pieces from the DNA which causes the mutation

This post was edited by Balance on Nov 29 2010 07:31am