What is TRUE of radio telescopes?
A) They have poorer angular resolution than a refractor.
B) They have better angular resolution than a reflector.
C) They are the smallest, most compact telescopes.
D) They can only be used above the atmosphere.
E) They are most sensitive to the opacity of the ozone layer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Radio telescopes have poorer angular resolution than a refractor because their resolution is limited by the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation they detect. Radio waves have much longer wavelengths than visible light, which means that radio telescopes need to be much larger in order to achieve the same level of resolution as a refractor telescope.

Answer: D
 Radio telescopes can only be used above the atmosphere because the Earth's atmosphere absorbs radio waves at many frequencies, which makes it difficult or impossible to detect them from the ground. Therefore, radio telescopes are typically located in space or on high mountains to reduce the amount of atmospheric interference.

What Is TRUE of Radio Telescopes