what does a microphone change sound waves into?
elictrical waves/pulses
A microphone is a device that converts sound waves into electrical signals. To understand how it works, we need to dive into its basic components and mechanism.
A typical microphone consists of three main components: a diaphragm, a coil/magnet assembly, and a casing. When you speak or produce any sound near the microphone, the sound waves cause the diaphragm to vibrate.
The diaphragm is a thin, flexible disc made of a material that can convert mechanical vibrations into electrical signals. As sound waves hit the diaphragm, it moves back and forth, mimicking the pattern of the sound waves.
Attached to the back of the diaphragm is a coil, which is a wire wound into a coil shape. This coil is placed within a magnetic field created by a permanent magnet or an electromagnetic coil. When the diaphragm moves due to the sound waves, the coil also moves within the magnetic field, generating an electrical current.
This interaction between the moving coil and the magnetic field generates a small electrical signal that represents the sound waves. The electrical signal produced by the microphone is often weak and needs amplification to be usable.
To summarize, a microphone changes sound waves into electrical signals through the vibration of a diaphragm, which then moves a coil within a magnetic field, generating an electrical current that represents the sound waves.