UPSC Prelims 1996·GS1·geography·climatology

Which one of the following layers of the atmosphere is responsible for the deflection of radio waves?

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. ATroposphere
  2. BStratosphere
  3. CMesosphere
  4. DIonosphereCorrect

Explanation

The correct answer is D because the Ionosphere contains a high concentration of ions and free electrons. These charged particles are created by the ionization of atmospheric gases by solar radiation. When radio waves are transmitted from the earth towards the sky, this layer reflects or deflects them back to the earths surface. This phenomenon enables long distance wireless communication and global radio broadcasting. Other layers like the Troposphere and Stratosphere do not have the necessary density of ionized particles to reflect radio waves effectively.
geography: Which one of the following layers of the atmosphere is responsible for the deflection of radio waves?

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