Yes. You burn more easily near the water due to reflected light.
this post was submitted on 16 May 2024
39 points (97.6% liked)
Ask Science
8653 readers
2 users here now
Ask a science question, get a science answer.
Community Rules
Rule 1: Be respectful and inclusive.
Treat others with respect, and maintain a positive atmosphere.
Rule 2: No harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or trolling.
Avoid any form of harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or offensive behavior.
Rule 3: Engage in constructive discussions.
Contribute to meaningful and constructive discussions that enhance scientific understanding.
Rule 4: No AI-generated answers.
Strictly prohibit the use of AI-generated answers. Providing answers generated by AI systems is not allowed and may result in a ban.
Rule 5: Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.
Adhere to community guidelines and comply with instructions given by moderators.
Rule 6: Use appropriate language and tone.
Communicate using suitable language and maintain a professional and respectful tone.
Rule 7: Report violations.
Report any violations of the community rules to the moderators for appropriate action.
Rule 8: Foster a continuous learning environment.
Encourage a continuous learning environment where members can share knowledge and engage in scientific discussions.
Rule 9: Source required for answers.
Provide credible sources for answers. Failure to include a source may result in the removal of the answer to ensure information reliability.
By adhering to these rules, we create a welcoming and informative environment where science-related questions receive accurate and credible answers. Thank you for your cooperation in making the Ask Science community a valuable resource for scientific knowledge.
We retain the discretion to modify the rules as we deem necessary.
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
According to this Stack Exchange answer, glass reflects around 4-100% of the UV in sunlight depending on the angle of incidence. So you could probably get a sunburn if the angle is low enough (like if the Sun is almost directly overhead and reflecting off a vertical window).
In the right conditions; you can melt vehicles with just windows/glass panes.
Let's assume the reflection is coming from just one flat glass pane.
It really depends on the type of glass some glass transmits UV light and some types reflect UV light. And that is not taking into account the pile of other factors that will affect it.
You can get a burn from a reflection. There’s a building in Las Vegas that caused this problem due to its windows and angle towards the sun.
There are too many variables to say if you’ll get a burn though.
Such as how much light is reflected, whether any windows have UV coating, how much exposure you get, and how susceptible you are to burning.
But it's possible.