What is the full form of GPS:

GPS represents Global Positioning System.

As the name suggests, it is a navigation system. It helps in providing information related to location and time using satellites. It works in all the weather conditions. Global Positioning System is very helpful to military. It also provides information to civilians and commercial users.

Global Positioning System is network of more than thirty satellites, which are orbited around the Earth at an altitude of 20,000 km. The system was first developed by United States for military navigation purpose. But slowly, this facility is availed by most of the people around the world. Anyone who is having a Global Positioning System device can receive signals that the satellites are broadcasting. Global Positioning device can be a mobile phone or any other normal GPS unit.

As mentioned, there are thirty satellites covering the orbit of the earth, so on an average, there are at least four satellites which are visible, irrespective of your location. These satellites keep on transmitting information related to their location and time after regular time intervals. These signals travel at the speed of light. These signals are received by our GPS receivers, which then calculate the distance of the user from the satellite. This calculation is done based on the time taken by the signal to reach the GPS receiver.

A GPS receiver requires the distance of at least three satellites from the receiver. With this information the GPS receiver can point out the exact location of the user. This process is called Trilateration. If the number of satellites above the earths orbit is increased, the accuracy of location finding is also increased.

The Global Positioning System uses the concept of time. The GPS satellites have multiple atomic clocks. These clocks are synchronized with each other. Also they are synchronized with the clocks present on the ground. As there is a change in the true time, which is maintained on the ground, the satellite clocks are corrected accordingly on the daily basis. Also the position of the GPS satellites is monitored very minutely. GPS receivers also have clocks in their system. These clocks are not very stable. GPS satellites keep on transmitting their exact location and current time after a particular time interval. The GPS receiver (either mobile phone or GPS handset) keeps on monitoring the position of multiple GPS satellites, and calculates the exact position of the receiver. There should be at least four satellites at each given point of time in the view of the receiver, so that the calculations can be done for knowing the correct position.

Questionnaire:

Q. What is the full form of GPS?

A. Full form of GPS in English is Global Positioning System.

Q. What does a GPS represents?

A. A GPS represents a space based navigation system. It is helpful for military. It is used to find the exact location of the user. There are GPS satellites placed on the orbit of the Earth, to find location of the user.

Q. What are the uses of GPS?

A. GPS is used in road, rail and air transportation, shipping and aviation, science and security, military purpose, heavy vehicle guidance, telecommunication, financial services, surveying and mapping, and also in social activities.