Radar uses radio waves to detect and determine which three attributes?

• A. Range, bearing, elevation
• B. Speed, direction, altitude
• C. Mass, color, texture
• D. Distance, velocity, size

Answer: (A)

Radar works by sending out radio waves and listening for echoes. The time it takes for the echo to return determines the distance to the target, which we call range. The direction the radar beam is pointed when the echo is received gives the bearing, the horizontal angle to the target. If the system also measures the vertical angle of the beam, it can determine elevation, or how high the target is above the horizon. Put together, range, bearing, and elevation tell you where the target is in three-dimensional space. Doppler shifts can reveal speed, but that’s a separate measurement and not part of the three basic attributes described here.