UV wavelength is a type of electromagnetic radiation that humans cannot see, measured in nanometers or electron volts. It can be detected by tools such as photodiodes and photocathodes, but contamination from other light sources can make it difficult to determine the amount of UV light. UV light can be both beneficial and harmful to humans.
A UV wavelength describes how long the wavelength of a certain range of light is and is measured in nanometers (nm) or electron volts (eV). Humans are unable to see UV light. UV wavelength is a type of electromagnetic radiation that has a shorter wavelength than visible light. The name UV wavelength is short for ultraviolet wavelength. This name comes from the fact that the highest frequency color humans can still see is violet, and ultraviolet light is above this, therefore making it undetectable to the human eye.
The most commonly known type of UV light comes from the sun and black lights found in stores. When the UV wavelength hits certain materials, it causes a chemical reaction and they appear to glow. UV light can be beneficial and harmful to humans. While it can provide the vitamin D people need to be healthy, it can also cause painful sunburns. These are not only unpleasant but can eventually lead to skin cancer.
There are several ways to detect UV light. UV light covers a broad spectrum, from 10nm to 400nm, and there are different tools to detect different parts of the spectrum. UV near wavelength detectors are devices that can detect UV wavelengths in the range of 200 nm to 400 nm. Tools like the photodiode convert light into a current that can be sensed. UV light can therefore be expressed in electrical volts from 3eV up to 124eV.
Other instruments, such as the photocathode, produce electron emissions when struck by light. They will react to UV light and can then be examined to determine how much light is hitting the instrument. Yet another type of detector, known as a vacuum UV detector, can block other light sources to try to collect only UV light.
Problems occur with each of these tools. While they may try to reduce the amount of visible light the instrument detects, they can easily be contaminated by other light sources. The devices collect all light, not just UV light. This makes it more difficult to determine how much light is UV light and how much is natural or other light.
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