Why was radar made?

Answer 1

Radar is still used today. The function of radar is to detect objects from long distances away, further away than can be detected visually.

Radar works by bouncing radio waves off different objects - clouds, aircraft, buildings, or other objects.

Answer 2

Radar is used to see rain and thunderstorms it can detect rotation in a storm as well. It is used because they have no other way of predicting the weather and where tornadoes can form. It is to save lives as well.

Answer 3

The suggestion that radio waves could be used to detect something was made as early as the end of the 19th century. A German received a German and a British patent for for a device to detect metallic objects at a distance in 1904. However sea lanes were not terribly crowed at that time and there were only 2 or 3 aircraft so the idea probably languished for a time because of lack of an urgent requirement and a lack of knowledge.

The knowledge started becoming available over the next few decades. The biggest impetus for a device to provide range and direction for distant metallic objects was increased bellicosity of the Germans and large numbers of metallic military aircraft.

England was isolated from the rest of Europe and threatened by invasion by the Germans. Their Air force was the only defense they had and they were outnumbered by the Germans. They developed the Home Chain chain of radars to give them the earliest possible warning of impending German attacks. These first radars were huge clumsy low frequency things not suitable for either shipboard use or use in aircraft. The English perfected the small high powered cavity magnetron and reduced the size of radars until before the end of WWII they were installed on single engine aircraft.

With the drastic increase in shipping and air travel since the war radar production has burgeoned and radar has been adapted for many uses.

Answer 4

John Barker and Ben Midlock invented the radar gun. They did so by detecting the signals that were coming from military ships and this was put into use as a way of measuring speed.

Answer 5

Radar is used for see what is around you without physically seeing it. For example, an army fighter plane may use it to see where his enemies are.