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Saw someone on Facebook arguing 5G is dangerous because the frequencies are very close to microwaves. It was such a nonsensical argument I had to respond.
See, Bluetooth and Wifi are literally the same frequencies as a microwave oven. Forget close, they are are microwaves.
See, Bluetooth and Wifi are literally the same frequencies as a microwave oven. Forget close, they are are microwaves.
Microwave ovens operate at a frequency of 2.440 GHz. Why that frequency? Most efficient when it comes to heating. It's great for cooking cause it can pass through most organic material but its energy is absorbed by water and transferred into heat energy.
Wifi (at least on the 2.4 GHz bands) and Bluetooth operate at frequencies between 2.400 and 2.480 GHz, well in the same range as a microwave oven.
Why those frequencies? One, every regulatory commission on Earth has allowed those frequencies to be used unlicensed.
Why those frequencies? One, every regulatory commission on Earth has allowed those frequencies to be used unlicensed.
Two, you can fit a lot of information within only one megahertz of bandwidth, so you can put a lot of devices on those bands that output a lot of data.
Three, it's range isn't that great, but it's good enough for households, and has limited abilities to pass through walls.
Three, it's range isn't that great, but it's good enough for households, and has limited abilities to pass through walls.
Yes, you can detect your neighbors Wifi, but it is significantly attenuated, and you can seldom pick up the next building.
The 5 Ghz bands are less crowded, but suffer a reduced range and have an even harder time going through walls. So 2.4 GHz is a good compromise.
The 5 Ghz bands are less crowded, but suffer a reduced range and have an even harder time going through walls. So 2.4 GHz is a good compromise.
The higher the frequency, the less range. You can compensate by increasing the transmitter power, but it's more efficient at that point to use lower frequencies. Of course lower frequencies also can carry less data, so you have to increase the bandwidth to compensate.
By bandwidth, I mean that, well lets say your device is operating at 2445 Megahertz, and you have 2 Mhz of bandwidth. That means that 2445 is the carrier frequency, but the data is carried over 2444 through 2446 MHz.
This is also why FM radio which has incredible range is around 88-108 Mhz, and AM radio is in the Kilohertz range, has an amazing range but rather dubious quality.
So 2.4 GHz bands for consumer use where it only needs to work within a household is a good compromise.
So 2.4 GHz bands for consumer use where it only needs to work within a household is a good compromise.
5G operates around the 25 GHz bands, which is why it can pump a lot of data but has a very short range.
Higher frequencies require much more energy to travel further. This is because those wavelengths are shorter, and therefore lose their energy faster.
Higher frequencies require much more energy to travel further. This is because those wavelengths are shorter, and therefore lose their energy faster.
In fact, if you want to figure out the wavelength of any frequency, simply take the speed of light constant and divide it by the frequency in hertz. Use metric cause fewer conversions.
Light moves at 299,792,458 meters per second. Microwave ovens are about 2,440,000,000 hertz.
Light moves at 299,792,458 meters per second. Microwave ovens are about 2,440,000,000 hertz.
Do the math and you get a length of .123 meters, or 123 cm, or about 4 feet.
See, this is why Bluetooth doesn't need much power. In one cycle, it will send a signal from your headphones to the phone in your pocket.
See, this is why Bluetooth doesn't need much power. In one cycle, it will send a signal from your headphones to the phone in your pocket.
It's hard to find data on transmission power, since manufactures don't publish it. Plus Bluetooth headphones are mostly receiving and only transmitting simple commands like STOP PLAYBACK, and only use a lot of data when you're on a phone call. So I'd say at most, 25 milliwatts.
The Bluetooth standard is limited to 100 mW of power, so this is probably a very generous estimate for headphone power consumption with the transmitter.
The least powerful microwave oven I could find on Amazon draws 600 Watts of power, or about 6,000 times that of Bluetooth.
The least powerful microwave oven I could find on Amazon draws 600 Watts of power, or about 6,000 times that of Bluetooth.
It happens to cook food because it is in an enclosed space designed to reflect the energy it puts out and it's 6,000 times more powerful than the most powerful Bluetooth transmitter. And that's a low powered microwave.
As I said, microwaves work because water absorbs that energy and converts it to heat, which is why your Mac and Cheese will be boiling but the glass container will be stone cold.
Same thing happens when Bluetooth hits the water in your body, but there's so little energy.
Same thing happens when Bluetooth hits the water in your body, but there's so little energy.
A human body has a lot of surface area for that to cover, and a transmitter in the milliwatt range that's not being focused cannot heat the water in your body enough to even be measurable.
Like, yes Wifi and Bluetooth work on the same frequencies as a microwave. But saying they're the same is like saying you can cook a pot roast with a cigarette lighter.
Yeah, it's the same thing as a stovetop, but the energy distribution and raw power makes it useless for that.
Yeah, it's the same thing as a stovetop, but the energy distribution and raw power makes it useless for that.
So the original argument I saw on Facebook is like arguing household heating is bad because it's close to fire.
I mean, it is the same kind of energy as fire, but it's distributed in a way that makes winter living comfortable versus immolating your skin.
I mean, it is the same kind of energy as fire, but it's distributed in a way that makes winter living comfortable versus immolating your skin.
Correction from earlier: .123 meters is 12.3 centimeters or 5 inches. It's midnight, I don't have the energy to move decimals properly.
5G transmitters measures wavelengths in millimeters, and the shorter the wavelength, the more energy to travel further. Bloody inverse square law.
So far there's no evidence that those frequencies are any more damaging than Wifi.
So far there's no evidence that those frequencies are any more damaging than Wifi.
Now it is true that shorter wavelengths have a much greater energy density, which is why people are worried. However, the wavelengths that start causing damage are in the UV range, which is measured in nanometers. Specifically, 100-380 nm. Nano meaning one billionth.
