Final answer:
A civilian GPS receiver can achieve the same accuracy as a military receiver if it receives the same satellite signals. The key to accuracy lies in accessing the precise satellite data and correct processing by the receiver, including adjustments for relativistic effects. The correct answer is c) It receives the same satellite signals.
Step-by-step explanation:
With regard to GPS, a civilian receiver may be capable of achieving the same accuracy as a military receiver if it receives the same satellite signals. The accuracy of a GPS system does not solely rely on the sophistication of the algorithm or the processing speed of the device itself. While those factors can contribute to how effectively the receiver processes the signals, the core of GPS accuracy lies in having access to the precise timing and positioning data provided by the satellite signals. Both civilian and military GPS receivers depend on the same principles of triangulation from satellite signals, taking into account the speed of the signals and the time they travel to deduce a location.
The corrections for time dilation due to the effects of relativity on satellite clocks are crucial for the accuracy of GPS systems. Without accounting for such factors, the systems would quickly become inaccurate. Therefore, when a civilian GPS receiver is allowed access to the same unencrypted signals as a military receiver, and those signals are incorporated accurately, then the precision of the location estimation can be comparable. Therefore, the correct answer is c) It receives the same satellite signals.