[Gllug] re: rf energy

[Gordon Joly]

At 14:19 +0100 2003/10/13, Stephen Harker wrote:
>On Monday 13 Oct 2003 1:12 pm, Henrik Morsing wrote:
>> > Some will kill you instantly. (Gamma Rays)
>>
>> How will Gamma rays kill you (instantly)?
>> AFAIK light is gamma rays and even if some gamma rays are harmful they
>> won't kill you instantly (only in Star wars).
>
>Light is electromagnetic radiation. Gamma rays are also electromagnetic
>radiation but at a much higher frequency. Gamma radiation is radiated freely
>from radioactive substances such as Uranium and Plutonium and is very harmful
>to living cells. A strong burst of Gamma radiation in your direction will
>kill you fairly quickly. A strong burst of light in your direction will not
>kill you (but may make you go blind). A strong burst of microwave radiation
>(a lower frequency than light but higher frequency than, for instance, FM
>Radio broadcasts) will excite the water molecules in your body (of which your
>body is a large proportion) and heat them up and kill you as well. This is
>how microwave ovens work.
>
>SteveH
>


Microwave ovens and 802.11b share the same frequencies (around 2.4 Ghz).

The power into the antennae of an 802.11b device is usually between 30 and 100 milliwatts (for an access point). That is up to tenth of a watt.

A microwave oven is rated at 650 watts. And should not radiate:-)

Gordo

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