Question

Cobalt causes tanning of skin because

• A. exposure to $UV$ radiation causes burning of skin, hence skin is tanned.
• B. exposure to $UV$ radiation causes production of more melanin, causing tanning of skin.
• C. $UV$ radiation penetrates through clothes, hence by absorption of $UV$ radiation skin becomes brighter.
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is B exposure to $UV$ radiation causes production of more melanin, causing tanning of skin.

$UV$ radiation is what makes people tan. $UV$ rays penetrate to the lower layers of the epidermis, where they trigger cells called melanocytes (pronounced: mel-an-oh-sites) to produce melanin. Melanin is the brown pigment that causes tanning. Melanin is the body's way of protecting skin from burning.