ultravioletes

Ultravioletes is not a standard term in most languages, but it is commonly used as a misspelling or alternative form for ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet radiation refers to the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths shorter than visible light and longer than X-rays, roughly from 10 to 400 nanometers. It encompasses three main bands: UVA (approximately 315–400 nm), UVB (280–315 nm), and UVC (100–280 nm). Each band has distinct physical and biological effects.

The primary natural source of ultraviolet radiation is the Sun. Much of UVC is absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere and the ozone layer, while UVA and UVB reach the surface to varying degrees. UVA is the most prevalent at ground level and penetrates deeply into the skin, contributing to tanning and photoaging. UVB is more energetic and responsible for sunburn and many forms of DNA damage, but it also drives vitamin D production in the skin. UVC is largely filtered out by the atmosphere and is primarily encountered in artificial applications such as germicidal lamps.

Health, safety, and regulation focus on minimizing harmful exposure while acknowledging beneficial effects like vitamin D synthesis. Protective measures include broad-spectrum sunscreen that covers both UVA and UVB, protective clothing, sunglasses, and limiting direct sun exposure during peak hours. The UV index is a weather and health metric used to communicate the daily risk of sun exposure.

In linguistic usage, ultravioleta is the common term in some Romance languages for ultraviolet radiation; ultravioletes is usually seen as a less standard or mistaken plural form. The widely accepted English term is ultraviolet and the standard Portuguese term is ultravioleta, with ultravioletas as the plural.