Receiving or calling why charging my phone is something I have used to for a very long time. I must sincerely admit. Although, This habit may be traced to the nonchalant attitude towards its rumored consequences couples with the poor supply of power in my area and urgent needs to make or receives a call at times. Additionally, I have also watched many people doing it over and over again including both adults and children.
However, there are rumors flowing with consequences of using phone while charging or receiving a call with a grain of salt, thus if the rumor is true then the consequences is brutal and calls for urgent needs to create more awareness about it . Consequently, if the rumors turn out to be wrong then the truth must be established.
Personally, a close friend of mine has narrated how brutal the effect of it can be, he explained to me how a man got burnt and later died because he was using the torch light on his phone while adding fuel to his generator, mind you he was not even making or receiving a call during that unfortunate incident and before he knew, he was already in fire and was rushed to the hospital and that lead to his final breath on earth.
Pathetic you say right!
Let's deep into it
1. Electrocution
One of the rumor that has been lingered for a while now as a consequence of using phone while charging it is 'ELECTROCUTION' It is a kind of serious injury or death sustained due to the passage of electricity on the human body.
Research has revealed some instances of electrocution which happened as a result of using a phone while charging but the percentage of such incident is minimal compare to huge amount of people using phone while charging and result in nothing of such, but the fact that it happened in some cases is enough to stop the habit , especially if it can be avoided.
However, research has also revealed that using a phone while charging it, if results in electrocution and exploded could be traced to damaged or faulty batteries or unauthorized charging cords.
If you have been more attentive with your cell phone, especially when charging it. You would have noticed that Charging your phone always increases the temperature of the components that made up of your cell phone, the outer part used to feel warmth likewise the internal components like battery of the phone as such it may explode or get electrocuted at certain temperature and cause the unexpected.
2. Brain Damage
This is also one of the rumors of the consequences of using your phone while charging it. However, the report of such case is rare. It was assumed to be due to the fact that some cell phones emit radioactive elements that are nuclear and explosive in nature thereby cause damage to the brain overtime. This has also been linked to the heart damage as a result of incoming or outgoing calls which may result in an increase rate of radioactive emission and may later turn to an explosion, thereby affect the heart. However the reality of this evidence used is low.
3. Heart damage
[Image source: Flickr]
Heart damage is also one of the rumor of the consequences of using a phone while charging it, It has also been confirmed to be rare just like I have explained under brain damage and it is assumed to be due to the radio active elements that are being emitted each time we make or receive a call while charging it.
Conclusion
Having discussed some of the rumor and their evidence towards the effect of using phones while charging it. One clear thing that should be noted is that the possibility of these rumors where the incidents happened is low. However, public domain has revealed some of where such incidents happened in the past, although the percentage is low but it should not be taken for granted since precaution is better than cure.
The instance of radio active element being emitted by cell phone is related to the one emitted by Global System of Communication (GSM) base stations antenna which emit Radio Frequency (RF) electromagnetic energy also known as radio waves. They only emit non-ionizing radiation which have no energy capable enough to break down atoms and molecules into ions.
Most electronics gadgets we use at home nowadays emit a non-ionizing radiation which have no energy capable enough to break down atoms and molecules into ions. examples includes; mobile phones, power line, computer, remote, FM radio, radio base station, satellite, sun e.t.c. While X-ray equipment and radioactive materials are known to emit ionizing radiation.
Also, various studies carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO) over the last two decades to investigate whether cell phones pose a potential health risk, the result of their findings confirmed that there is no adverse health effects due to mobile phone usage can be confirmed.
Precautions
The result of over heating has generally been established as possible cause that might leads to the consequences of using phone while charging as discussed above, so one should try as much as possible to avoid over heating of phone and if possible should desist from using phone while charging since prevention is better than cure.
Thanks for reading through, your opinion through comments and interactions with this topic matters a lot !
REFERENCES
1. Is It Safe to Use Your Phone While it’s Charging?
2. Is it Dangerous to Talk on the Phone While it’s Charging?
3. Dangers of making, receiving calls when charging your smartphone
4. BIOLOGICAL AND HEALTH EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD FROM MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS
5. Radio waves and health (Mobile communications)