Common Safety Orientation (CSO) Practice Test

Which of the following is a common example of non-ionizing radiation?

1. Gamma rays

2. Visible light

3. X-rays

4. UV radiation

The correct answer is: Visible light

Visible light is a common example of non-ionizing radiation. Non-ionizing radiation refers to forms of electromagnetic radiation that do not have enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms or molecules, which would ionize them. This type of radiation includes a variety of energy forms, ranging from radio waves to microwaves and visible light. In the context of the options provided, visible light is part of the spectrum that is safe for human eyes at typical exposure levels. It plays a significant role in daily life and is essential for vision, contrasting with ionizing radiation types that have higher energy levels, such as gamma rays, X-rays, and UV radiation. These latter types of radiation can be more hazardous due to their potential to damage biological tissues and DNA, leading to adverse health effects. Thus, visible light is classified as non-ionizing radiation while the other options are ionizing, which reinforces the selection of visible light as the correct answer.