Radio Detection And Ranging (RADAR) / Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) Practice Exam

In the context of RADAR encountering the shadowing effect with vehicles moving at different speeds, it is important to understand how shadowing influences measurements. Shadowing occurs when one object obstructs the RADAR signal to another, leading to potential inaccuracies in speed detection.

When RADAR systems are used to measure the speed of multiple vehicles, the reading it provides can be influenced by the relative positioning and speeds of those vehicles. In cases where one vehicle is moving slower and experiences shadowing, the RADAR may reflect a lower speed than what it might otherwise detect for faster vehicles or in an unobstructed scenario.

Choosing the appropriate speed in this situation suggests that the system may have detected the slower-moving vehicle, which is reflected in the reading shown. The speed of 30 mph would represent a reasonable measurement that the RADAR would report under these conditions, where shadowing from faster vehicles could mask higher speeds.

In essence, the correct answer acknowledges the typical outcome observed when dealing with the complexities of multiple moving objects and the influence of shadowing on the RADAR’s accuracy.