In radar terminology, Range is defined as what?

• A. Azimuth
• B. Elevation
• C. Speed
• D. Distance from radar to target

Answer: (D)

Range is the straight-line distance from the radar to the target. It’s found by measuring the time delay between transmitting a pulse and receiving its echo, then using the speed of light: range ≈ (c × Δt) / 2, since the signal travels to the target and back. This distance is a scalar value and does not include direction.

The other terms describe directional angles or motion: azimuth is the horizontal angle to the target, elevation is the vertical angle, and speed (radial or Doppler) relates to how fast the target is moving toward or away from the radar. For a quick sense of scale, if a pulse returns after about 6 microseconds, the range is roughly 900 meters. Range resolution, how precisely you can distinguish two close targets, depends on the pulse width—shorter pulses allow finer separation.