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QPage 393: Q10: HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2 X-Rays Page 393: Q10 Solution: Why is exposure to X-rays injurious to health but not exposure…

⚠️ Common Exam Traps & Conceptual Pitfalls

Students often equate the brightness or intensity of light with its biological danger, overlooking that damage depends on the energy per photon ($E=hc/\lambda$). Emphasize that only photons with enough energy to exceed atomic ionization thresholds (as X‑rays do) can break chemical bonds, whereas visible‑light photons are far below that threshold regardless of intensity.

Why is exposure to X-rays injurious to health but not exposure to visible light, when both are electromagnetic waves?

Step-by-Step Verified Solution

**Answer:** X-rays are more injurious because they have much higher photon energies and can ionise atoms. **Step-by-Step Explanation:** The energy of a photon is E = hc/_. X-rays have much shorter wavelengths than visible light, so their photons carry much higher energy. This allows them to penetrate tissue and ionise atoms, breaking chemical bonds and damaging DNA. Visible light photons do not have enough energy to ionise atoms [citation:2].

All Questions in this Chapter

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