Physics · May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Question 27

Ultraviolet waves and radio waves are both components of the electromagnetic spectrum. Why do ultraviolet waves cause skin cancer and cataracts while radio waves do not?

1. AUltraviolet waves have a greater speed in air than radio waves.
2. BUltraviolet waves have longer wavelengths than radio waves.
3. CUltraviolet waves have lower frequencies than radio waves.
4. DUltraviolet waves are ionising, but radio waves are not ionising.

As printed in the paper