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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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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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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

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.
Pattern takeaway: UPSC tests the *limits* of a technology. Don't just study what a tech *can* do; explicitly study what it *cannot* do. If a statement claims a physical sensor (Radar) performs a chemical analysis (Narcotics ID), it is likely a trap.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Logical Trap. Statement 2 is covered in PMF IAS/NCERT. Statement 3 is intuitive science. Statement 1 is the eliminator.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Science & Tech > Everyday Science > Remote Sensing & Wave Spectrum Applications.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 'Sensing Spectrum': RADAR (Radio waves -> Weather/Speed/Tracking), LiDAR (Light -> 3D Mapping/Autonomous Cars), SONAR (Sound -> Depth/Submarines), SODAR (Sound -> Wind profiles).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Apply the 'Mechanism Test'. Radar works by reflection of waves. Reflection reveals location, speed, and shape (geometry). It does not reveal chemical composition (narcotics vs. flour). Therefore, 'Identification' is the wrong verb for Radar.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Weather radar for precipitation and cyclone monitoring
💡 The insight

Weather radar detects and tracks precipitation and the movement of storms, enabling cyclone monitoring and early warnings.

High-yield for UPSC: links meteorology, disaster management and early warning systems; useful for questions on cyclone forecasting, atmospheric instruments, and hazards. Mastering this helps answer integrated questions on weather services and disaster preparedness.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > 26.11. Warning of Tropical Cyclones > p. 382
🔗 Anchor: "List all activities among "identification of narcotics on passengers at airports..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Aircraft as platforms for environmental monitoring
💡 The insight

Aircraft can carry instruments, including weather radar, to monitor atmospheric phenomena from aloft.

Important for UPSC topics on aviation's role in environmental monitoring, linking civil aviation infrastructure with meteorological observation and disaster response. Enables answers on how transport sectors support scientific monitoring.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > 26.11. Warning of Tropical Cyclones > p. 382
  • FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Transport and Communication > Fig. 7.15: An Aeroplane at Salsburg Airport > p. 66
🔗 Anchor: "List all activities among "identification of narcotics on passengers at airports..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Since Weather Radar was asked, expect questions on NISAR (NASA-ISRO SAR) which uses L-band and S-band radar to measure crustal deformation and ice-sheet changes.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

The 'Physics vs. Chemistry' Filter. Radar is a Physics tool (Wave reflection). Identification of Narcotics is a Chemistry problem (Molecular structure). A Physics tool cannot solve a Chemistry problem without a specific qualifier (like 'Spectroscopy'). Thus, Statement 1 is scientifically unsound.

🔗 Mains Connection

Disaster Management & Internal Security: Link Weather Radar to the IMD's 'Doppler Weather Radar Network' for cyclone early warning (GS-3 Disaster Mgmt) and 'Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System' (CIBMS) which uses radar for intrusion detection (GS-3 Security).

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