What is an analog signal?
Q: What is an analog signal?
A: An analog signal is any continuous signal in which even very small fluctuations in the signal are meaningful.
Q: How is an analog signal different from a digital signal?
A: An analog signal is different from a digital signal because small fluctuations in the signal carry meaning, whereas a digital signal only represents discrete values.
Q: Does analog only refer to electrical systems?
A: No, analog signals can be conveyed through mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and other systems as well.
Q: How does an analog signal convey information?
A: An analog signal uses some property of the medium (such as sound, light, temperature, position, or pressure) to convey the signal's information.
Q: What is an example of an analog signal?
A: An example of an analog signal is changes in air pressure (sound) striking the diaphragm of a microphone, which causes related changes in a voltage or current in an electric circuit.
Q: What does the term "analog" refer to with respect to an analog signal?
A: In the case of an analog signal, the term "analog" refers to the voltage or current being an analogous representation of the original sound or physical phenomenon.
Q: Where can one find a comparison of digital and analog?
A: One can find a discussion of digital vs. analog by looking up the term "digital" in the same source as this text.
