RADAR and infrared cameras use different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Further, RADAR is both an emitter and collector of radiation while an infrared camera is only a collector.
Electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic radiation comes in a variety of forms. We differentiate between them by their wavelength. At the very short wavelengths we call it gamma radiation, at the very long, radio waves.
RADAR and Infrared
RADAR uses what we call microwaves or radio waves: this is, in the electromagnetic spectrum, quite long waves. Infrared is close to visible light, quite short waves.
Actual wavelengths
RADAR uses anything from wavelengths of a quarter of an inch to 100 yards. Infrared is around 0.00003 inches.
Emitting and collecting
RADAR emits the radiation and then sees what it bounces off by collecting the reflections. We use it usually to measure movement of things, cars, planes, weather systems and so on. An infrared camera only collects the radiation already emitting from things: we use it to collect images, usually of heat-producing objects at night.
Infrared technology
It is possible to use infrared film in a standard film camera to get infrared images. More modern digital cameras are usually not able to take such images.
Tags: camera only, Electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic spectrum, infrared camera, infrared camera only
