Chapter 27, Problem 36A

To determine

The reason for not getting the sunburn if you are behind the glass on a sunny day or an overcast day.

Answer to Problem 36A

You cannot get a sunburn if you are behind the glass on a sunny day or an overcast day because glass does not allow the ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun to penetrate through it. Ultraviolet radiation are very harmful for your skin and can cause skin cancer.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Sun emits mostly three kind of radiation: ultraviolet, infrared and visible light. But clouds resist only infrared radiation to penetrate. Hence harmful ultraviolet radiation reaches on the surface of earth.

Ultraviolet radiation are very harmful for your skin and can cause skin cancer. Glass does not allow the ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun to penetrate through it by absorbing it’s all energy. Hence, you cannot get a sunburn if you are behind the glass on a sunny day or an overcast day.

Conclusion:

Thus, you cannot get a sunburn if you are behind the glass on a sunny day or an overcast day because glass does not allow the ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun to penetrate through it.