Question:
Could you explain how information -- like my "hello" when I answer
the phone -- is carried over a phone line?
Replies:
There are two distinct ways at present. Both of them rely on the
ability of an electrical signal to be generated at your phoneand be sent over
the wires to the receiving set. The actual signal is a series of time varying
pulses or oscillations of voltage over the wires. The two ways your signal is
coded represent the two ways that signals are sent over the lines. The old
and still used way if for the strength of the signal in response to your words
to be directly sent over the line. This is called analog and is essentially
the same thing that happens with AM radio. The second method is for a
computer to convert your message into digital signals, essentially short
pulses at different frequencies , to code your message so that it is converted
at the other end by another computer. Some of this is done for long distance
calls.
NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.