Does the GPS use sound waves or light waves?

Answer 1

There really isn't much of a connection between GPS (global positioning system) and sound waves. Sound waves are mechanical energy. They're pressure waves (force) that are transmitted into the medium through which they are going to travel. GPS is all about electromagnetic waves. And they can travel through the vacuum of space (as well as atmosphere, though with some scattering loss). GPS is a linked group of orbiting satellites that, for any given place and any given moment, form what may be referred to as a "constellation" (yes, just like the stars) overhead that can be used to locate a receiver on the earth. The satellites are always in motion and the constellations change, but the net result remains the same. At any time there will be enough of the birds somewhere overhead to talk to an individual receiver, and that receiver, based on the signals and the differential times at which they arrive, can calculate a geographic location. (There's a little whiz-bang processer inside that crunches all the numbers.) Need links? You got 'em.

Answer 2

Sound waves are the means by which echolocation works. First, sounds are transmitted by an organism or a device. Sound waves will "bounce" off of objects and reflect back towards the source (in fact, in many different directions). Echolocation works by listening for these echoes and their differing arrival times to determine the distance and location of the object the sound is echoing from.

Answer 3

it uses radio waves which is a form of energy waves that light is also classified under. sound requires a median to travel, light waves and radio waves do not, so out of the two, it's closest to light, thought it isn't exactly light.

Answer 4

An animal will emit a sound and then listen for the echo. If the echo takes a long time to return, then the animal knows that obstacles in front of it are far away. If the echo takes a short time to return, then obstacles are close to it.