Question

park rangers use infrared images to monitor land during and after forest fires. while visible light from fires may be blocked by smoke or particles in the air, longer-wavelength infrared waves pass through.

the two satellite images show the same area in yellowstone national park. in the infrared false-color image, invisible infrared waves are assigned different colors. the infrared image shows freshly burned land as red-orange.

compare the satellite images. select the true statement.
land features like mountains are only visible in the infrared image.
burned areas of land are easier to see in the infrared image than in the visible light image.
smoke and clouds are clearly visible in the infrared satellite image.

Explanation:

1. For the first statement: Mountain/land features are visible in the visible light image (the dark textured areas), so this is false.
2. For the second statement: The visible light image is obscured by smoke/clouds, hiding burned areas, while the infrared image clearly marks fresh burned land as bright red-orange, making burned areas much easier to identify here. This is true.
3. For the third statement: The text notes infrared waves pass through smoke/particles, and the infrared image shows no clear smoke/clouds (unlike the visible light image), so this is false.

Answer:

Burned areas of land are easier to see in the infrared image than in the visible light image.