If the elapsed time for a RADAR echo is 62...

Question 1 of 27070yayaKMiyG8o9DIIq5gxV

If the elapsed time for a RADAR echo is 62 microseconds, what is the distance in nautical miles to the object?

Back

Question 1 of 27070

Q

If the elapsed time for a RADAR echo is 62 microseconds, what is the distance in nautical miles to the object?

🔍 Key Concepts

• Speed of electromagnetic (RADAR) waves is approximately the speed of light • RADAR range is based on two-way travel time (out to the target and back) • Unit conversion from microseconds to seconds, then to nautical miles

💭 Think About

• How do you convert 62 microseconds into seconds, and why is that step necessary before using a speed formula? • Does the pulse travel the distance to the target only once, or does it travel to the target and back? How does that affect the formula you use? • Once you have the total distance traveled by the pulse, what must you do to get the one-way distance (the actual range) to the target in nautical miles?

✅ Before You Answer

• Convert 62 microseconds to seconds correctly before any distance calculation • Use the approximate speed of radar waves in nautical miles per second (about 162,000 nmi/s) or convert from meters per second if you know 3 × 10^8 m/s • Remember to divide the total travel distance by 2 to get the one-way range to the object