Why Do We Get Sunburned?

Imagine your skin is like a blanket that keeps you warm. When the sun is too strong, it's like someone throws hot coals on top of your blanket, and you feel the heat! That’s what happens when sunburn occurs: the sun’s rays hurt your skin, making it red and sore.

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Examples

A child playing outside on a sunny day gets red and sore skin after an hour.
A person forgets to wear sunscreen at the beach and ends up with peeling skin later that evening.
After riding a bike for 30 minutes in bright sunlight, a teenager's face feels hot and hurts.

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Categories: Science · sunburn· ultraviolet radiation· skin biology· solar energy· health