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Q34 (IAS/2024) Science & Technology › Space & Defence Technology › Radar technology applications Official Key

Consider the following activities : 1. Identification of narcotics on passengers at airports or in aircraft 2. Monitoring of precipitation 3. Tracking the migration of animals In how many of the above activities can the radars be used ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is option B (Only two).

Radars can be used for **two** of the three activities mentioned:

**Activity 2 - Monitoring of precipitation:** Aircraft carry weather radar among other instruments for monitoring purposes[1], which is used to detect precipitation patterns. Weather radars are widely used in meteorology to track rainfall, storms, and cloud formations.

**Activity 3 - Tracking the migration of animals:** Radars can detect the movement of large flocks of birds and insects during migration. Weather radars often pick up biological targets like bird flocks, and specialized radars are used by ornithologists to study migration patterns.

**Activity 1 - Identification of narcotics:** Radars **cannot** be used for identifying narcotics on passengers. This requires specialized detection technologies like X-ray scanners, full-body scanners, chemical sensors, or sniffer dogs. Radars work by detecting objects through radio wave reflection and cannot identify specific substances or chemicals.

Therefore, radars are applicable to only two of the three activities listed.

Sources
  1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > 26.11. Warning of Tropical Cyclones > p. 382
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following activities : 1. Identification of narcotics on passengers at airports or in aircraft 2. Monitoring of precipitat…
At a glance
Origin: From standard books Fairness: High fairness Books / CA: 10/10 · 0/10
You're seeing a guest preview. The Verdict and first statement analysis are open. Login with Google to unlock all tabs.

This is a classic 'Application of Technology' question. Statement 2 is standard Geography (Weather Radar), while Statement 3 is applied Ecology (Radar Ornithology). The trap lies in Statement 1: confusing 'detection of concealed objects' (Physics) with 'chemical identification' (Chemistry). Success here relies on knowing the fundamental operating principle of the technology, not just memorizing lists.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
List all activities among "identification of narcotics on passengers at airports or in aircraft", "monitoring of precipitation", and "tracking the migration of animals" for which radars can be used, and give the total count.
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > 26.11. Warning of Tropical Cyclones > p. 382
Presence: 5/5
“• Detection of any unusual phenomena in the weather leading to cyclones has three main parameters: fall in pressure, increase in wind velocity, and the direction and movement (track) of the storm. • Monitoring is also done by aircraft which carry a number of instruments including weather radar. Cyclone monitoring by satellites is done through very high-resolution radiometers to obtain an image of the cloud cover and its structure.• Today, it is possible to detect a cyclone right from its genesis on the high seas and follow its course, giving a warning at least 48 hours before a cyclone strike.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly references 'weather radar' used aboard aircraft for monitoring cyclones and weather phenomena.
  • Links radar use to detection and tracking of storm movement and precipitation-related parameters.
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