Final answer:
Echolocation is a biological sonar used by bats, dolphins, and other animals to locate and identify objects by emitting sounds and interpreting the returning echoes. Option A is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
Definition of Echolocation
Echolocation is the use of reflected sound waves to locate and identify objects, which is particularly useful for animals in navigating their environment and finding food. Animals such as bats and dolphins emit sounds that bounce off of objects, with the echoes being used to form a 'picture' of their surroundings. This ability is crucial for their survival, especially when operating in the dark.
How Echolocation Benefits Bats and Dolphins
Bats use echolocation to sense distances and navigate among trees or capture prey, even capable of detecting objects at a minimum distance based on the timing of the returning echoes. Dolphins, similarly, use echolocation to identify objects in dark waters, which aids them in hunting.
The principle of echolocation is also emulated in human technologies such as SONAR, where it is used to detect objects underwater in submarines and has applications in automotive technology to assist with parking and collision avoidance.
It enables these animals to navigate and hunt effectively, especially in environments where visibility is poor. This biological principle has been adapted into human technological applications such as SONAR.