Question

Suppose an airport metal detector catches a person with metal 99. What is the most likely reason for this detection?

A) The person has a significant amount of metal in their body due to a medical implant.
B) The metal detector is malfunctioning and producing a false positive.
C) The person is carrying a large quantity of coins in their pocket.
D) The person is wearing a belt with a high metal content.

Answer 1

The most likely reason for the metal detector to detect a metal object is when a person is wearing a belt with a high metal content.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely reason for the metal detector to detect a metal object is option D) The person is wearing a belt with a high metal content.

Metal detectors at airports work on the principle of electromagnetic induction. The coil or inductor in the metal detector frame acts as both a transmitter and a receiver. When a metal object is present in the path of the detector, it affects the self-inductance of the circuit. This change in inductance is detected by the metal detector, triggering an alarm.

In the given options, option D is the most likely reason because a belt with a high metal content can trigger the metal detector. The metal content in the belt can cause a significant change in the self-inductance of the metal detector circuit, leading to a detection.