What describes the relationship between wavelength and frequency in radar theory?

• A. Wavelength is directly proportional to frequency
• B. Wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency
• C. Wavelength is independent of frequency
• D. Wavelength equals frequency

Answer: (B)

Wavelength and frequency are tied by the wave speed. For radar waves traveling through air, the speed is essentially the speed of light, so c ≈ 3×10^8 m/s. The relationship is c = fλ, which rearranges to λ = c / f. Since c is constant, wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency: as frequency goes up, wavelength goes down. Doubling the frequency halves the wavelength; halving the frequency doubles the wavelength. This inverse link explains why higher-frequency radar offers finer resolution (shorter wavelengths) but can have different propagation and attenuation characteristics compared to lower frequencies.