Sun tan/burn through glass

Most double glazed unit now use UV protecting glass though I am not sure how much UV they can block.

Window glass does a fairly decent job of screening the UV-B (burning) spectrum of light. While other substances do a better job, enough is screened to usually prevent the chance of sunburn. As for double pane windows, the more glass the better and tinted glass prevents even more. However, there are UV-B and UV-C rays as well. UV-A type rays are emitted by the bulbs in tanning salons and can produce certain types of cancer. These, obviously, pass through glass, but don't usually burn. UV-C rays don't reach the earth's surface, since they are blocked by the ozone layer. The new generation or Low-E glass windows are superb and designed especially to inhibit the UV waves...
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LukeTW said:
Why you ask for?

Does the sun shine on you through the window at work? :D
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Heh. I was just wondering because, sitting in my uni dorm room with the window to the left, the sun shines on the left side of my body several hours a day leaving my right side in the shade. I just don't want to end up half red/brown, half pasty white. :p
 
Most glass blocks UVB but not UVA.

So you can't get sunburn, but you can do long-lasting damage to your skin.
 
glass, unless specially coated, will only block uv light below about 300nm, so that still leaves most of the 300-400nm uv light - thats enough to tan, burn, give you cancer etc - ideally you want to cut off upto 350nm really.
 
my history teacher at school always used to lol at the people running for a window seat.

every lesson he would mention the fact you wont get a suntan through glass but you still get the cancer rays:p
 
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