This interactive simulation will show you what different kinds of UV radiation can do to you. Click on any kind of UV light, and we'll show you how it affects your skin! Anytime you see a skin layer light up in red, that part of your skin is being affected by UV. Use what you learn using the simulation to answer the questions in the quiz below.

To put things in perspective, here is a spectrum showing the relative wavelengths of UV, visible, and infrared light.

Quiz

1. Which skin layer is affected by solar radiation with wavelength of:
   a. 300 nm
   b. 385 nm
   c. 150 nm

2. Which type of UV radiation causes sunburn?
   a. UVA
   b. UVB
   c. UVC

3. Which type of UV radiation is associated with tanning?
   a. UVA
   b. UVB
   c. UVC

4. Sunscreen is most effective in blocking which type of radiation?
   a. UVA
   b. UVB
   c. UVC

5. On a cloudy day which types of radiation from the sun are absorbed by the clouds?
   a. all UVA and some UVB
   b. all UVA and all UVB
   c. some UVB and all UVC

6. If you go outdoors, the most effective thing you can do to protect yourself from UVB radiation is:
   a. only go out on cloudy days
   b. wear sunscreen
   c. wear sunglasses to avoid the glare

How Sunburns and Sun Tans Work — from Marshall Brain's HowStuffWorks.

Sunlight, Ultraviolet Radiation, and the Skin — from the National Institutes of Health.

Trying to Look SUNsational? Complexity Persists in Using Sunscreens — from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

USDA UV-B Monitoring Program — contains information on UV radiation, especially UVB, from the United States Department of Agriculture.

This activity was created by Don McKinney and Mark Michalovic.