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• A typical chemical bond in a biological molecule has a strength of a few eV — let’s say 4 eV to be specific. (a) Can low-intensity microwave radiation with wavelength 1 cm break a bond, thus causing a mutation in a DNA molecule? (Very high-intensity microwave radiation, such as is found inside a microwave oven, will heat biological tissue, thus causing burn damage.) (b) What is the minimum wavelength necessary for a photon to be able to break a 4-eV chemical bond? (c) What type of photon has this minimum wavelength? (Blue? IR? etc.)
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