• Question: Why do we get a tan from the sun but we do not get a tan from a burning candle?

    Asked by anon-175445 to Thomas, hayleypincott on 11 Jun 2018.
    • Photo: Thomas Perriment

      Thomas Perriment answered on 11 Jun 2018:


      The sun burns with a much higher intensity than a candle! Visible light is a form of electromagnetic radiation, with a particular range of wavelengths (from blue to red!), however it isn’t the only radiation that heat sources emit. UV radiation is a different wavelength to visible light, and is a lot more dangerous as it can penetrate through the layers of our skin. The radiation from candles and bedroom lamps isn’t powerful enough to give us a noticeable tan, however you can still get a tan in a tanning bed! Tanning beds produce UV radiation, not identical to the sun but enough to give us a tan.

    • Photo: Hayley Pincott

      Hayley Pincott answered on 11 Jun 2018:


      I would say because the Sun is bigger and burns a lot brighter we get so much UV radiation from it than we would do from the small flame of a candle. However I think Thomas has done an amazing job answering and I would say he has given you a far more scientific answer than I ever could.

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