Jump to content
  • entries
    42
  • comments
    44
  • views
    10,979

Finding the blips on the screen

MrMuffinMan

Entry posted by MrMuffinMan

512 views

 Share

The most important technology that came out of WWII was the nuclear bomb. But the second most important technology and probably the most used today is Radar. Every airport in the US uses Radar to track flights. But the physics behind this technology is very simple. It's the Doppler effect. A Radar system has two parts a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter sends out a burst of radio waves. These waves go until it hits an object, say a plane and bounce back with a different frequency because due to the Doppler effect a plane moving would cause the waves to bounce back faster or slower depending on the direction of the plane in regards to the transmitter. Then the receiver detects the frequency of the returning waves. Using the equation f'=fo(c+vplane)/c where c is the speed of the waves in air, the Radar computer can determine the speed of the plane. Also the computer can find the location of the plane by using the difference in time from when the waves were sent to when the waves were detected by using D=2Ct since the time is for the waves to get there and back.

radar.jpg

 Share

0 Comments

Recommended Comments

There are no comments to display.

Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×

Terms of Use

The pages of APlusPhysics.com, Physics in Action podcasts, and other online media at this site are made available as a service to physics students, instructors, and others. Their use is encouraged and is free of charge. Teachers who wish to use materials either in a classroom demonstration format or as part of an interactive activity/lesson are granted permission (and encouraged) to do so. Linking to information on this site is allowed and encouraged, but content from APlusPhysics may not be made available elsewhere on the Internet without the author's written permission.

Copyright Notice

APlusPhysics.com, Silly Beagle Productions and Physics In Action materials are copyright protected and the author restricts their use to online usage through a live internet connection. Any downloading of files to other storage devices (hard drives, web servers, school servers, CDs, etc.) with the exception of Physics In Action podcast episodes is prohibited. The use of images, text and animations in other projects (including non-profit endeavors) is also prohibited. Requests for permission to use such material on other projects may be submitted in writing to info@aplusphysics.com. Licensing of the content of APlusPhysics.com for other uses may be considered in the future.

APlusPhysics Books

APlusPhysics Books

×
×
  • Create New...