Should You Be Worried About EMF Exposure? EMFs in daily life

Electromagnetic fields are a combination of invisible electric and magnetic fields with charge.

An electromagnetic field (also EM field) is a physical field, mathematical functions of position and time, representing the influences on and due to electric charges. The field at any point in space and time can be regarded as a combination of an electric field and a magnetic field. Because of the interrelationship between the fields, a disturbance in the electric field can create a disturbance in the magnetic field which in turn affects the electric field, leading to an oscillation that propagates through space, known as an electromagnetic wave.

The electromagnetic field is described by classical electrodynamics, an example of a classical field theory. This theory describes many macroscopic physical phenomena accurately.[6] However, it was unable to explain the photoelectric effect and atomic absorption spectroscopy, experiments at the atomic scale. That required the use of quantum mechanics, specifically the quantization of the electromagnetic field and the development of quantum electrodynamics.

Who creates it?

They are generated by natural phenomena as well as by human activities, mainly the use of electricity. Computers, mobile phones, sockets, microwave ovens, wireless Internet... The devices that we use every day and that make our lives easier generate an electromagnetic field around us.

The potential effects of electromagnetic fields on human health vary widely depending on the frequency, intensity of the fields, and the length of the exposure. Low frequency, low intensity, and short duration exposure to electromagnetic radiation is generally considered safe. On the other hand, radiation from other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as ultraviolet light and gamma rays, are known to cause significant harm in some circumstances.

How to find them?

EMF measurements are measurements of ambient (surrounding) electromagnetic fields that are performed using particular sensors or probes, such as EMF meters. These probes can be generally considered as antennas although with different characteristics. In fact, probes should not perturb the electromagnetic field and must prevent coupling and reflection as much as possible in order to obtain precise results. There are two main types of EMF measurements:

broadband measurements: performed using a broadband probe, that is a device which senses any signal across a wide range of frequencies and is usually made with three independent diode detectors;

frequency selective measurements: in which the measurement system consists of a field antenna and a frequency selective receiver or spectrum analyzer allowing to monitor the frequency range of interest.

EMF probes may respond to fields only on one axis, or may be tri-axial, showing components of the field in three directions at once. Amplified, active, probes can improve measurement precision and sensitivity but their active components may limit their speed of response.

Should You Be Worried About EMF Exposure? EMFs in daily life

Electric fields are produced by voltage, and magnetic fields are produced by electric current. Electric fields are measured in V/m (volts per meter). Magnetic fields are measured in µT (microteslas). Both electric and magnetic fields vary in strengths at different times and locations.

Electric fields vary because of differences in the amount of voltage used by various devices. The higher the voltage supplied to a device, the stronger the electric field will be. An electric field exists even when there’s no current flowing.

Magnetic fields are produced by the flow of electric current and therefore vary depending on the strength and amount of the current being used. The more electric current a device uses, the stronger the magnetic field will be.

It might be surprising to learn just how varied magnetic field levels are around products. The strength of a magnetic field may not depend on how large or powerful the device is. Also, the strength of the magnetic field may vary a lot even among similar products.

For example, some hair dryers have a very strong field, while others produce hardly any EMF. It all depends on the product design. Also, exposure levels vary considerably depending on the distance you are from the device and how long you’re exposed.

Because of these variances, it’s difficult to say with accuracy what the EMF is for products. But both ICNERP and WHOTrusted Source internationally, and the EPA nationally, have stated that the EMF exposure in the average living environment is extremely low.

Read on to learn about some of the most common EMF fields you may encounter in daily living.