How does RF radiation differ from ionizing radiation (radioactivity)?

Radio Frequency (RF) radiation is categorized as non-ionizing radiation. This means its photons do not carry enough energy to knock electrons out of orbit in atoms or molecules. Because it cannot strip electrons, it does not cause the direct chemical changes or DNA damage associated with ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation, such as X-rays, gamma rays, and nuclear radioactivity, is highly energetic and can directly mutate cells and cause cancer. RF radiation, by contrast, mainly affects biological tissue through thermal heating, much like how a microwave oven warms food. While RF radiation is not ionizing, it is still not "perfectly safe" at extremely high power levels because excessive tissue heating can cause burns or cataracts. However, its biological mechanisms are fundamentally different from those of radioactivity.