Discuss at length the radiation risks associated with computers and mobile devices.

What will be an ideal response?

Although we tend to associate radiation with the fallout from nuclear blasts and debilitating cancer treatments, the term refers simply to any energy that is emitted in the form of waves or particles. Radiation streams out of the sun in the form of heat and out of your stereo system as sound waves. Even more radiation pulses out from electrical appliances, wireless networks, cell phone towers, and electrical power lines. Most of the radiation in your everyday world is considered safe, especially in moderation. A few types of radiation can be harmful. Gamma rays and X-rays, for example, contain enough electromagnetic energy to alter chemical reactions in the body and disrupt molecules in human tissue. Shielding against these types of radiation is an important safety factor. Every electronic device emits some type of radiation; otherwise, they would not be functional. The light emitted by computer, mobile phone, smartphone, and portable music player screens is essential for their use. Cell phones emit sound waves so we can listen to the person at the other end of the connection. Wireless routers emit radio waves to carry data from one workstation to another. Although the radiation from most digital gadgets is considered harmless, researchers have raised concerns about radiation from cell phones and computer display devices.

LCD, LED, and OLED display devices generate an image by illuminating a matrix of tiny lights. LCD, LED, and OLED technologies have no tubes, no electron sprays, and generate no X-rays. LCD and OLED devices do, however, emit low levels of radiation. Emission levels vary depending on manufacturer, brand, and model. Monitors that meet TCO or MPR standards have emission levels believed to be safe. Various devices designed to block radiation are on the market, but their effectiveness is questionable. Regardless of the type of display device you use, do not sit too close to it. Your exposure to radiation is reduced the farther away you sit from it.

A mobile phone is a radio transmitter and receiver. It emits RF (radio frequency) energy. High levels of RF energy can heat human tissue in much the same way a microwave oven heats food. Compared to a microwave oven, however, the amount of radiation emitted by a cell phone is miniscule. The amount of radiation emitted by a cell phone can be measured by its specific absorption rate (SAR).