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Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
To communicate with the network, mobile phones emit low levels of radio waves (also known as radiofrequency or ?RF? energy) when being used. Governments around the world have adopted comprehensive international safety guidelines, developed by independent scientific organizations, governing the exposure to RF energy. Mobile phones are designed to operate within these stringent limits.
What is SAR?
SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate, which is the unit of measurement for the amount of RF energy absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone. The SAR is determined at the highest certified power level in laboratory conditions. However, the actual SAR level of the phone while operating can be well below this value. This is because the phone is designed to use the minimum power required to reach the network. Therefore, the closer you are to a base station, the more likely it is that the actual SAR level will be lower.
In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted limits for safe exposure to RF energy produced by mobile devices and requires that phones sold in the U.S. have a SAR level at or below 1.6 watts per kilogram (W/kg) taken over a volume of 1 gram of tissue. In the EU the corresponding limit is 2 W/kg taken over a volume of 10 grams.
While to many still PURE SPECULATION, some scientists theorize that cellphones may interfere with our cells' DNA mechanisms despite the devices' minimal tissue heating effect.
Some labs evaluate the phone's effect on tissue at varying doses, called the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).
A device's SAR (measured in Watts per Kilogram, W/kg) is a reliable measure of its ability to cause cell damage and is a way of measuring the quantity of radiofrequency (RF) energy that is absorbed by the body.
The SAR will vary according to the type of tissue through which the radiation is conducted, such as bone, muscle or fat.
In the case of cellphones, SAR is highest at the "hot spot'' where the cell phone is held to the user's ear.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has imposed a maximum SAR limit of 1.6 W/kg on currently-marketed cell phones based on the scientific evidence presently available, which incorporates significant margins of safety to ensure the health of the general public.
The SAR level listed in our charts represents the maximum SAR level with the phone next to the ear.
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