A speed gun is an electronic device used to measure the speed of moving objects using the Doppler effect. It emits radio waves, which reflect off the object, and by analyzing the frequency shift, the device calculates the object's speed. It's widely used by law enforcement and in sports to monitor movement.
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Traffic police have started using speed guns to crack down on speeding vehicles all over India lately.
It is a device for measuring the speed of a moving object without having to be in contact with the object. To achieve this, the device reflects electromagnetic radiation of a certain frequency from an object, captures the reflection, and uses the Doppler effect to infer the speed of the object.
Speed guns are electronic and use complex circuitry to emit the radiation used for measurement. The speed gun was originally developed during World War 2 for military use and applies the effect using radio waves rather than sound waves.
It is widely used by law enforcement officials to monitor traffic speed, coaches to measure the performance of their athletes, and various other industries that need accurate movement tracking.
Doppler effect: It is the change in wave frequency due to relative motion between source and observer.
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q.Consider the following statements about speed guns:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: a Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: A speed gun uses the Doppler effect to measure the speed of a moving object by emitting radio waves and analyzing the frequency shift of the reflected waves. This principle allows the device to calculate the speed without making contact with the object. Statement 2 is incorrect: Speed guns do not require direct contact with the moving object. They work by using electromagnetic waves (radio waves), and they are effective for measuring the speed of moving objects, not stationary ones. |
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