Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance, direction, and speed of objects. It comprises a transmitter that produces electromagnetic waves, a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna (often the same for both functions), and a receiver and processor to analyze the object's properties.
The development of radar began in 1895 when Alexander Popov, a physics instructor in Russia, created a device to detect distant lightning using a coherer tube. In 1897, while testing communication between two ships, Popov noticed interference from a third ship and suggested it could be used for object detection, though he did not pursue this idea further.
In 1922, U.S. Navy researchers A. Hoyt Taylor and Leo C. Young placed a transmitter and receiver on opposite sides of the Potomac River and observed that passing ships caused the signal to fade. Taylor reported that this could help detect ships in low visibility, but the Navy did not pursue the idea at that time. Eight years later, Lawrence A. Hyland at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) noticed similar signal fading caused by passing aircraft, leading to a patent application.
These early observations laid the foundation for the development of radar, which would later become a critical technology for detecting objects under various conditions, especially in military applications.
According to the passage, what observation did Alexander Popov make in 1897 while testing communication between two ships?
A. He discovered that radio waves could be used to detect lightning strikes.
B. He noticed that the presence of another vessel disrupted the radio signals between the two ships.
C. He found that placing a transmitter and receiver on opposite sides of a river could detect passing ships.
D. He observed signal fading caused by passing aircraft.
E. He determined that radar could detect ships in low visibility conditions.