What is the difference between UVA and UVB radiation?
There are actually various types of radiation emitted from the sun, including visible light and infrared radiation, but it is ultra violet radiation that most affects our skin and eyes. In addition to UVA and UVB rays there are UVC rays. UVC rays are stronger than UVA and B, but they are filtered out by the ozone layer of the stratosphere and do not reach the earth. UVB (ultraviolet B) – is responsible for sun burns, delayed tanning (the process continues in the skin after sun exposure is ended), aging, cataracts of the eye, and genetic damage that can lead to skin cancer. UVB rays are short wave radiation. They are the most powerful and potentially harmful, even though much of UVB is filtered out by the ozone layer in the stratosphere. The closer you live to the equator, or the higher the elevation, the more intense exposure is received. Other indicators for intensity of UVB exposure are time of day, season (winter has less direct sunlight) and cloud cover (dense, dark cloud cover doe
