Which technology utilizes sound waves and their reflections for locating objects?

The technology that utilizes sound waves and their reflections for locating objects is sonar. Sonar, which stands for Sound Navigation and Ranging, operates by emitting sound waves into the water. These sound waves travel until they encounter an object, such as a submarine or the ocean floor, and then reflect back to the source. By measuring the time it takes for the sound waves to return, sonar systems can determine the distance to the object. This technology is widely used in marine environments and is essential for navigation, mapping underwater terrain, and detecting submarines or schools of fish.

Ultrasound also uses sound waves, but it is primarily used in medical imaging and diagnostics rather than general object location. Echolocation is a similar concept to sonar, used by certain animals like bats and dolphins to navigate and locate prey through sound reflections. However, in the context of technological applications for locating objects, sonar is the most specific and widely recognized term. Radar, on the other hand, employs radio waves instead of sound, making it fundamentally different from sonar.