Which of the different telescopes designed for the following specific types of electromagnetic waves has to be at the highest altitude from the surface of the Earth to be useful?
a. Near (to visible) infrared
b. Radio
c. Visible
d. Far UV to X-ray
To determine which type of telescope needs to be at the highest altitude from the surface of the Earth to be useful, we need to understand how Earth's atmosphere affects different types of electromagnetic waves.
a. Near (to visible) infrared:
This type of electromagnetic wave is partially absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, so infrared telescopes need to be placed at higher altitudes to reduce atmospheric interference. However, the absorption is not as significant as for other types of waves.
b. Radio:
Radio waves can pass through Earth's atmosphere with relatively little interference, so the altitude of a radio telescope is not a critical factor for its usefulness. However, radio telescopes are often placed in remote locations, away from radio frequency interference produced by human activities.
c. Visible:
Visible light is not significantly affected by Earth's atmosphere, and optical telescopes that observe the visible spectrum are commonly used at ground level.
d. Far UV to X-ray:
These types of electromagnetic waves are strongly absorbed by Earth's atmosphere. To observe them, telescopes need to be placed at very high altitudes or even outside of Earth's atmosphere, such as on satellites or high-altitude balloons.
Based on this information, the answer is:
d. Far UV to X-ray
Telescopes designed to observe far UV to X-ray waves need to be at the highest altitude from the surface of the Earth to be useful due to the strong absorption of these wavelengths by Earth's atmosphere.