Summative Criterion D

Thayaka Mutemba

27/02/2020

Mobile phones came into our lives with their unique stand. Once was
recognized as luxury, and now it's something that we can’t live without.
Mobile phones have helped in many aspects. They have replaced
wristwatches; it has become a personal diary for many. There are lots of
helpful apps like timers, calculators, communication mediums, such as
WhatsApp and message, among many others. Mobile phones have the
capability to multi-task, entertain, remind, give directions and communicate
from many parts of the world.

Accessing the internet is mandatory in some professions. The mobile

phone is also replacing the laptop, by allowing internet access through it.
This has enabled many service providers to provide services through the
internet. Mobile banking and updates have become something common for
mobile phone users. (Importance of mobile phone in our daily life, 2020)

The advantages of Radio frequency waves are:

· Used in many medical applications such as MRI, and surgery instruments.

·   Object detections

· Satellite communication

· Radio, television transmission and mobile phone service

(Advantages and Disadvantages of RF waves, 2020)

 

There is both a transmitter and receiver section on a mobile phone. When it

is turned on, it emits radio waves, that consist of Radio Frequency. That is
a form of electromagnetic radiation that is made from an atom absorbing
energy, moving at the speed of light. It transmits radio wave signals to
nearby stations. (How do mobile phones produce electromagnetic
radiation, 2020)[IC1] 

RF waves don’t have enough energy to cause cancer by damaging the

DNA inside cells directly. (Team, 2020). RF waves are from a non-ionizing
radiation. X-rays, gamma rays, (UV) lights. They tend to be a stronger
(ionizing) type of radiation compared to RF waves. One of the main
differences is that the stronger ones can break chemical bonds in the DNA.
Cell phones have very low levels of non-ionizing radiation when in use.
(Naeem, 2020)

RF waves can heat up body tissues, only at very high levels. But the
energy given off by cell phones is not high enough to raise body
temperatures. Mobile phones emit energy from a non-ionizing
electromagnetic radiation, radiofrequency energy. It can be absorbed by
tissues close to the phone. 

According to (Mobile phones, radiation may affect memory performance in

adolescents, 2020). Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields may have
effects on the memory performance of specific brain regions. They also say
that these are findings of a study that involved around 700 adolescents in
Switzerland. Specifically led by the, Swiss Tropical and Public Health
Institute. Published on July, 13th 2018. After one year of mobile phone use,
there might be a negative impact due to brain exposure. Precisely on
figural memory in adolescents, that is mainly located in the right brain
hemisphere.

The waves are strongest at the antenna, that is the body of the hand held
phone, and lose energy as quickly as they travel away from the phone. The
closer the antenna to the head the greater the person’s exposure. (Team,
2020)

 Factors that may impact exposure:

 How much time someone spends on the phone
 If the person is on speaker mode or not
 The phone model being used
 The distance to the closest cell phone tower. 
 How much cell phone traffic there is in a designated area?

https://www.radiationhealthrisks.com/what-is-radio-frequency-rf-radiation/

 
In conclusion, I would say that RF waves can be positive and also negative.
It all depends on the way we use it, if we spend a lot of time, we have a lot
of brain exposure. As I have mentioned, Cell phones have been playing a
very important role in our daily lives, from all the apps, to actually helping in
professions and schools. But also be careful with our health.

Level Achieved

Criterion D = 3