Sunbeams: impact. Harmful sun rays. sun radiation

Sunny days always bring joy to people. They fill us with vital energy and saturate our body with vitamin D. The sun makes everything around us more beautiful and richer. But its impact on the human body can be not only beneficial, but also harmful. If carried out a large number of time under the sun, it is fraught with the appearance of various serious diseases. Therefore, in this article I would like to talk about the benefits and harms of the sun, and ways to avoid harmful effects UV rays.

Health Benefits of the Sun

• strengthens immune system,
• vitamin D production
• participates in calcium metabolism,
• improves blood circulation,
• stimulates the digestive system,
• strengthens the skeleton
• protects against complications during pregnancy,
• treats skin diseases
• stimulates the production of hormones
• energizes,
• lifts the mood
• helps to cope with stress and depression,
• calms the nervous system
• improves sleep.

✔ Normalizes blood pressure. It has been proven that nitric oxide is released in the body under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. He speeds up metabolic processes, reduces blood pressure and prevents the formation of blood clots, reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

✔ Protects the heart. According to scientists medical college Albert Einstein (USA), regular sunbathing can prolong life by 26%. The fact is that at this time vitamin D appears in sufficient quantities, which prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases.

✔Strengthens the protective functions of the body. Thanks to ultraviolet radiation and heat, we rarely get sick in summer. But everything is good in moderation: if you overdo it with a tan and bask on the beach for a long time, your immunity will weaken. This is the reason why northerners in the resort are more prone to herpes and colds.

The sun's rays help fight bacteria. Therefore, those who suffer from dermatitis and eczema, in warm time years, the condition improves, in adolescents the number of acne and pimples decreases. Until autumn, fungal skin diseases disappear.

✔Strengthens the skeletal system. Without exposure to ultraviolet radiation, calciferol is not formed. Deficiency of this substance leads to a serious violation of calcium metabolism, which cannot be restored by pharmaceutical preparations. Adults under such conditions develop osteoporosis - brittle bones, dangerous fractures, and children develop rickets.

✔Increases tone. Sunlight stimulates the production of happiness hormones - endorphin and serotonin. The first improves mood, performance, concentration, increases energy. The second also makes you happy and protects against allergies.

Sunlight is available even in cloudy weather and cool days - part of the rays penetrates through the thickness of the clouds. For the health of the heart and blood vessels, it is most useful to be outside in such weather. Walk daily, from dawn to 11 am, it invigorates and tones, and from 4 pm to sunset to relax.

The above positive effects of the sun on the human body, of course, are possible only in the case of a competent stay under the sun's rays.

Sun damage to humans

We understand that without the sun there would be no life on Earth and that ultraviolet light triggers the production of vitamin D in the skin. But at the same time, radiation causes the formation of free radicals and cell mutation, can lead to photoaging of the skin, loss of elasticity, in the worst case, to the development of a malignant tumor - melanomas. In other words, no matter how you take care of your skin all year round, the sun can ruin everything. And if not everyone cares about beauty and eternal youth, then definitely no one wants to risk their lives.

Sun damage

We are interested in long wavelength UVA and medium UVB. Is there some more short waves UVC, but they get lost in the atmosphere. So, the first ones are the ones that shine even in a snowy March. They overcome all obstacles, including clouds, fog, glass, so 95 out of 100 such rays reach the Earth's surface. They penetrate deep into the skin and delight us with a tan, and in the wrong doses lead to photoaging of the skin.

The second, B-rays, are afraid of clouds and windows, but represent much more danger in clear weather. They cause sunburn and skin cancer. It is because of them that you need to stay away from the sun from 10 to 17, because it is during these hours that UVB rays are active.

Harm of sunscreens and products

Threat solar radiation does not mean that we should cover our body with the first available sunscreen with the maximum SPF factor and calmly tan in the sun. On the contrary, many similar creams and lotions are no less dangerous. Made from unnatural chemical substances, they block the skin's natural protection from the sun and can also be a cause of melanoma. It is even more dangerous to apply them to areas where there are already sunburn. In addition, many rely too much on sunscreen and, having covered their entire body with them, boldly relax for hours in the open air.

We must not forget that any, even the best sunscreen, requires reapplication every two hours, and even this does not negate a reasonable mode of being outside. In the matter of UV protection, as in many things in life, it is worth maintaining awareness and maintaining balance.

Sun protection

How can you benefit from the sun without harming your health?

Sunbathing 15 minutes a day is enough

Sunbathing for 15 minutes every day is enough for the body to produce the necessary dose of vitamin D. Of course, it is permissible to absorb direct rays only in weak sun, that is, in the early morning or after 17-18 hours. No protection is needed during beneficial sunbathing . For the rest of the time you want to spend outside, stay in the shade or use the simplest physical protection: wear a wide hat, be sure to wear sunglasses and light breathable clothing (for example, linen) that covers your body as much as possible.

Gradually accustom the skin to the sun

Research has shown that people who are regularly exposed to the sun have more stable protection against ultraviolet radiation, burn less often and are less prone to developing skin diseases. It's about about the fact that the body needs to be accustomed to sunbathing gradually, starting from a few minutes, go out into the sun regularly, as if for a procedure, without applying any protective equipment, but still beware of the strong sun and avoid burns.

Another study found that children with young age those who walked under the "healthy" sun were less exposed to ultraviolet danger in their adult years, because they had developed natural defense mechanisms over the years.

Use natural tanning products

There are many natural products, which are endowed with an SPF factor by nature. These include basic and vegetable oils cold pressed: hemp, olive, sesame, coconut, jojoba, avocado, macadamia, walnut, wheat germ oil and others.

Yes, they provide very weak protection (up to SPF-10), but you will be calm that your skin care product is natural and safe. In addition, vegetable oils will additionally moisturize and nourish your body. For more intense protection, use Carrot Seed Oil (SPF up to 40) or Raspberry Seed Oil (SPF up to 50), which will shield you from both kinds of dangerous rays.

In addition, mineral powder can be used for daily sun protection. Small particles of minerals in it will create a physical barrier and not let the rays through to your skin. Of course, such a tool will give an SPF of no more than 15-30, but it will perform two tasks at once: both resist ultraviolet radiation and mattify. Check that the composition of the powder is natural, without synthetic dyes, parabens and preservatives, without talc and bismuth oxychloride. But in mineral powder, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are welcome - it is these components that protect against UVA and UVB rays.

Use natural after-sun products

The tricky part is that UV continues to damage some skin cells for several hours after sun exposure, even after dark. This process can be stopped by an antioxidant, so make it a rule to apply a product containing vitamin E to your body after sunbathing. These include almost all known vegetable oils: sunflower, olive, linseed, sesame, corn, burdock, almond, sprout oil wheat and so on.

Do you have sun protection products?

And another most natural and effective way sun protection of course proper nutrition. The diet should be rich in antioxidant foods ( green tea, tomatoes, pomegranate, nuts, seeds, berries, herbs, citrus fruits and more), but eaten today, they will give an effect only in a couple of weeks.

To supply the body with antioxidants, there are also special dietary supplements.

Also, summer beautiful time to give up smoking and alcohol, because they, among other things, undermine the natural defenses of the skin.

The sun's rays, no doubt, have big influence per person. They affect his mood and well-being. As mentioned above, without the sun there would be no life on Earth. But the damage from the sun can also be quite significant. Therefore, you must always observe the measure in everything and include awareness of your actions.

What if we collect all the visible radiation of the Sun into a beam like a laser with a diameter of a meter and send it to the Earth?

Max Schaefer

This is what Max described:

Once in the path of the beam, you will, of course, die quickly. And not even "from something", as is usually the case - you will simply turn from a biological phenomenon into a physical one.

When a beam of light reaches the atmosphere, it will heat the air at the point of impact to millions of degrees in a fraction of a second. [ one ] . ↲Fahrenheit, Celsius, Rankine or Kelvin - it doesn't matter at all.↳ This air will turn into plasma and will begin to dissipate heat in all directions in the form of x-rays. They will heat the surrounding air, turning it into a plasma that will emit infrared light. It's like an explosion hydrogen bomb but much more intense.

This radiation will evaporate everything around, turn the nearest area of ​​the atmosphere into plasma and begin to devour the surface of the Earth.

What if you find yourself on the other side of the planet? You still can not survive - in this scenario, the Earth is doomed. But from what exactly you will die?

The size of the Earth is enough to protect people on reverse side from Max's beam, albeit not for long. Seismic waves from destruction also will not immediately pass through the planet. But they won't kill you anyway. The earth is not a perfect shield.

Twilight will kill you.

It's dark at night [ ] , because the Sun shines on the other side of the planet [ ] . But the darkness of the night sky is not always absolute. Before dawn and after sunset, a glow is visible, because the atmosphere bends the light of the hidden Sun.

If our beam hits the Earth, a spectrum of radiation from X-rays to thermal radiation will break out into the atmosphere, so it’s worth understanding how different types Light interacts with air.

Speaking of ordinary light, you may have heard of Rayleigh scattering as an answer to the question “why is the sky blue?”. The explanation is generally correct, but the answer “because the air is blue” is perhaps even better. Of course he's blue in the set physical causes, but all has color for many physical reasons [ 2 ] . ↲To the question "why is the Statue of Liberty green?" we will answer something like "the statue is covered with copper and was once copper in color, but over time, due to oxidation, a layer of copper carbonate formed, and it is green." We will not say "a statue is made green by the scattering and absorption of light of certain frequencies by surface molecules."

When the air heats up, the electrons lose their connection with the nuclei of atoms - a plasma is obtained. A stream of radiation from the beam passes through it, so we need to find out how transparent this plasma is to various kinds radiation. Here I want to recall an article by Harris L. Meyer from 1964 transparency calculations. Past and future, her introductory paragraph is the best of any physics paper I've seen:

The prerequisites for this work appeared several billion years ago. Once stars began to form, transparency became one of the basic parameters that determined structure. physical world in which we live. And in recent times, with development nuclear weapons operating at intrastellar temperatures, transparency also becomes one of the basic parameters that determine the processes from which we can all die.

Plasma better than air transmits x-rays. They will pass through it and heat it up due to the Compton effect and the birth of pairs. But the beams will quickly stop as soon as they come into contact with the non-plasma air outside. But the plasma sphere will constantly expand due to x-rays from superheated air around the beam. The new plasma along the edges will add infrared radiation to the stream that heats everything in its path.

The ring of heat and light will spread across the planet, heating the air and the earth. As the air heats up, the plasma and radiation will propagate farther beyond the horizon. In addition, part of the atmosphere will be knocked out by the beam into space and from there it will reflect light back to the planet.

Accurate The speed at which radiation travels around the earth depends on various characteristics atmospheric scattering, but it is unimportant if the Moon is in a quarter all this time.

When Max's device turns on, the moon will not be visible - the sunlight illuminating it will be collected in a beam. After it touches the atmosphere, a quarter of the moon will peek out.

When the beam from Max's device touches the Earth's atmosphere, the light from the point of contact will illuminate the Moon. Depending on the position of the satellite and your location on the surface of the planet, reflected moonlight alone can easily incinerate you...

... and twilight, enveloping the planet, will bring with it the last sunset [ 3 ] . ↲This picture is convenient to annoy certain groups of people:

One subtlety could save the Earth from complete destruction. Is Max's mechanism capable of keeping a fly moving goal? If not, the planet will be out of the way in just three minutes. True, people will still fry, the atmosphere and surface will become noticeably smaller, but the main mass of the Earth will continue its path in orbit as a charred lump.

Our solar death ray will open deep space. If, years later, it reaches another planetary system, it will already be too scattered and will not be able to incinerate anything, but its brightness will certainly be enough to warm up the surfaces of local planets.

Max's scenario may have doomed the Earth to destruction, but - if it's any consolation - we won't necessarily die alone.

The sun's rays: we know about the benefits, but about the harm?

Even in ancient times, scientists knew about the benefits of sunlight and sunbathing. AT Ancient Rome and Hellas, it was believed that being in the sun strengthens the spirit and tempers health. However, then this was forgotten for a long time, and was remembered only at the beginning of the 20th century.

A hundred years ago, sunbathing and long walks again began to be prescribed by doctors to sick and recovering people. And this is not surprising, since people, especially those living in temperate climate noted that mood and well-being improved in sunny days and worsens in cloudy autumn.

In the middle of the last century, it even became fashionable to sunbathe - that's when bikinis appeared. However, the last decades only talk about the dangers sun rays They are said to cause skin cancer.

How is it really? Is sunlight good or bad for our health?

The influence of sunlight on all living things is difficult to overestimate. And the fact is that the sun emits a whole spectrum of waves, from color to invisible. Invisible rays include ultraviolet and infrared rays. We cannot see them, but we feel them in the form of heat. Invisible rays have a great influence on the living.

It is infrared rays that improve blood circulation in the body. And consequently. and contribute to the activation of all life processes, improve mood, a surge of vigor and the appearance of energy. They help to get rid of apathy, depression, decline vitality. Besides infrared spectrum has a mild analgesic effect.

But not all ultraviolet rays, and the sun produces several types of them, are beneficial for the body. The most deadly of them are C (UFS) rays, but they are delayed by the ozone layer. Rays A and B are very useful for humans. They are responsible for the production of vitamin D. Rays A can theoretically cause burns and skin lesions. Rays B stimulate the production of melanin, which causes a tanned skin color, which is designed to protect against overheating of the skin and its damage. They also thicken the skin layer, making it less susceptible to burns. That is, the sun itself protects from itself - this mechanism has developed in humans in the process of evolution for a safe life under the rays of the star.

What are the benefits of the sun?

The sun strengthens bones and is involved in calcium metabolism. Without sunlight, the production of vitamin D (calciferol) is impossible.

The sun prolongs life: Scientists from the Einstein College of Medicine (USA) recently discovered another unique property vitamin D. It prolongs life. It turned out that people with a low content of this vitamin are more likely to die. ahead of time- 26% higher according to scientists.

The sun improves mood and improves tone: The sun's rays stimulate the production of serotonin and endorphins in the body. Endorphins are called the hormone of joy and happiness - they improve mood and increase tone. Studies have shown that residents of northern countries are more likely to suffer from depression than southerners. This is due to the lack of sunlight.

The sun reduces pressure: everyone knows the recommendations for hypertensive patients not to be in the heat in the sun due to the fact that pressure can jump sharply. But scientists from Edinburgh argue the opposite - in their opinion, the sun, on the contrary, reduces pressure and reduces the risk of blood clots. And all because under the influence of sunlight in human body nitric oxide is released and converted to nitric oxide and nitrate. And these substances reduce blood pressure and prevent thrombosis.

The sun will save from sclerosis: Scientists have proven the beneficial effects of sunlight, and especially ultraviolet radiation, in this area. It has been found that if a person in childhood was not deprived of sunbathing, then in adulthood he has a lower risk of developing scattered than in children who grew up in conditions of sun deficiency.

The sun is guarding men's health: Frequent sun exposure reduces the risk of prostate cancer. And again, this effect is achieved due to the production of vitamin D under the action of the rays of the luminary. It blocks the spread cancer cells and helps the growth of healthy cells.

The sun helps to lose weight: if you are in the sun in the morning, it is easier to fight excess weight and it is easier to maintain normal weight constantly without much effort.

Sun for diabetes The British found that sunlight lowers blood sugar, thereby protecting against the risk of diabetes.

However, lovers of sunbathing should be aware of the other side of the sun's rays. Yes, they can be really harmful in large doses. For example, staying in the sun for a long time you can get sunburn. And people with fair skin can suffer the most from this. And they are also at risk of developing skin cancer under the influence of sunlight. And all because people with fair skin are less likely to produce melanin.

Too much sun exposure dries out the skin, and this leads to premature wrinkles and disruption of collagen production in skin cells. That is why northerners look younger than southerners at the same age and have fewer wrinkles, especially fine ones.

The infrared rays of the sun cause a large amount of overheating of the body and in combination with ultraviolet well-known sunstroke. Its manifestations are varied - from lightheadedness, dizziness and fever to loss of consciousness. Prolonged overheating can cause death.

Many of us love to spend time in the sun, someone wants to soak up the warm rays, and someone is chasing a good tan. But is it useful for the body and how does it affect human health? Learn about the benefits and harms of sunlight.

The benefits of sunlight

If you approach this issue wisely, then tanning will positively affect your health. Sun exposure produces vitamin D, which has a beneficial effect on bones and teeth and promotes the absorption of calcium.

Ultraviolet has a beneficial effect on the human immune system. Experts have long proven that the sun slows down the growth of cancer cells. The body receives more oxygen during exposure to sunlight, which improves the functioning of the heart muscle and puts blood pressure in order.

Sun lovers are much less likely to get sick and cope better with stress. When exposed to sunlight, the body activates important processes such as respiration, circulation, metabolism.

Sun damage

If you spend a lot of time in direct sunlight, the risk of skin cancer increases. Do not forget that prolonged exposure to the sun contributes to premature aging of the skin. To avoid such problems, use various oils and creams that will save skin covering from drying.

We must not forget about burns, the desire to tan quickly and strongly can bring you a lot of inconvenience and harm your health. Be aware of the risk of heatstroke, do not forget that in strong sunshine, your head should be covered.

What is the best time to sunbathe

If you come to rest in warmer climes and want to tan, remember the first 3-4 days you should refrain from long sunbathing. This will only harm you and your skin, and instead of a bronze tan, you can return home with burns.

If we talk about time, we must not forget that in the period from 12:00 to 16:00 the sun is most active and can harm your body. It is worth sunbathing before noon, preferably before 11 o'clock. The most favorable moment is the time from 16:00 to 19:00. During this period, the risk of getting burns is minimal. In addition, the evening sun rays will not affect your vision.

How to protect yourself from sun exposure

Before sunbathing, you should take care of protection. Be sure to purchase a hat with a visor or wide brim to avoid bumps and burns to your face.

Don't forget about sunscreen, which must be applied half an hour before going outside. During this time, the cream will be absorbed and a protective film will form. Apply the product every two hours.

Be mindful of your eyes, protect them with a large visor or sunglasses.

Be careful with your health, remember that in pursuit of a tan you can harm your skin. Enjoy the sun wisely. We wish you good luck and do not forget to press the buttons and

28.07.2015 09:30

They say that faith and a serious intention help move mountains. Therefore, it is not surprising that conspiracies help solve life ...

The sun - main source energy on earth. Without it, the existence of life would be impossible. And although everything literally revolves around the Sun, we very rarely think about how our star works.

Structure of the Sun

To understand how the Sun works, you first need to understand its structure.

• Core.
• Radiant transfer zone.
• convective zone.
• Atmosphere: photosphere, chromosphere, corona, solar wind.

The diameter of the solar core is 150-175,000 km, about 20-25% of the solar radius. The core temperature reaches 14 million degrees Kelvin. Inside, thermonuclear reactions constantly occur with the formation of helium. It is in the nucleus as a result of this reaction that energy is released, as well as heat. The rest of the Sun is heated by this energy, it passes through all the layers to the photosphere.

The radiative transfer zone is located above the nucleus. Energy is transferred by emitting photons and absorbing them.

Above the radiative transfer zone is the convective zone. Here, the transfer of energy is carried out not by reemission, but by the transfer of matter. With high speed, the colder matter of the photosphere penetrates into the convective zone, and the radiation from the radiative transfer zone rises to the surface - this is convection.

The photosphere is the visible surface of the Sun. From this layer comes most of visible radiation. Radiation from deeper layers no longer penetrates into the photosphere. average temperature layer reaches 5778 K.

The chromosphere surrounds the photosphere, it has a reddish hue. From the surface of the chromosphere constantly occur emissions - spicules.

The last outer shell of our star is the corona, consisting of energetic eruptions and prominences that form the solar wind, which spreads to the farthest corners. solar system. The average temperature of the corona is 1-2 million K, but there are areas with 20 million K.

Solar wind is a stream ionized particles, propagating to the boundaries of the heliosphere at a speed of about 400 km/s. Many phenomena on Earth are associated with the solar wind, such as the aurora and magnetic storms.

solar radiation

The solar plasma has a high electrical conductivity, which contributes to the appearance of electric currents and magnetic fields.

The sun is the strongest emitter of electromagnetic waves in the world, which gives us:

• ultra-violet rays;
• visible light - 44% of solar energy (mainly yellow-green spectrum);
• infrared rays - 48%;
• x-ray radiation;
• radiation radiation.

Only 8% of the energy is spent on ultraviolet, X-ray and radiation radiation. Visible light lies between the infrared and ultraviolet rays.

The Sun is also a powerful source of non-thermal radio waves. In addition to all kinds of electromagnetic rays, a constant stream of particles is emitted: electrons, protons, neutrinos, and so on.

All types of radiation exert their influence on the Earth. This is the impact we are experiencing.

Exposure to UV rays

Ultraviolet rays affect the Earth and all living beings. Thanks to them, the ozone layer exists, since UV rays destroy oxygen, which is modified into ozone. The Earth's magnetic field, in turn, forms the ozone layer, which, paradoxically, weakens the power of UV exposure.

for living organisms and environment Ultraviolet influences in many ways:

• promotes the production of vitamin D;
• has antiseptic properties;
• causes sunburn;
• enhances the work of hematopoietic organs;
• increases blood clotting;
• the alkaline reserve increases;
• disinfects surfaces of objects and liquids;
• stimulates metabolic processes.

Exactly ultraviolet radiation promotes self-purification of the atmosphere, eliminates smog, smoke and dust particles.

Depending on latitude, the strength of exposure to UV radiation varies greatly.

Exposure to IR rays: why and how the sun warms

All heat on Earth is infrared rays, which appear due to the thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen to form helium. This reaction is accompanied by a huge release of radiant energy. About 1000 watts per square meter reaches the ground. It is for this reason that IR radiation is often called thermal radiation.

Surprisingly, the Earth acts as an infrared emitter. The planet, as well as the clouds, absorb infrared rays and then re-radiate this energy back into the atmosphere. Substances such as water vapor, water droplets, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, some fluorine and sulfur compounds emit infrared rays in all directions. It is thanks to this that the greenhouse effect takes place, which maintains the surface of the Earth in a constantly heated state.

Infrared rays not only heat the surfaces of objects and living beings, but also have other effects:

• disinfect;
• improve metabolism;
• stimulate blood circulation;
• relieve pain;
• normalize the water-salt balance;
• strengthen immunity.

Why is the sun weak in winter?

Since the Earth revolves around the Sun with some axial tilt, in different time year, the poles deviate. In the first half of the year North Pole turned to the Sun, in the second - South. Accordingly, the angle of exposure to solar energy changes, as well as power.