Smartphones connect to the internet wirelessly. When you send a text from your phone, the phone must first convert the information in the text into radio waves. The phone then sends these radio waves wirelessly to a nearby receiver that is connected to the internet.
Describe the analog/digital conversion that occurs when you send a text. Be sure to include the definitions of both terms. (4 points)
Analog/digital conversion is the process of converting information from analog form to digital form. In this case, when you send a text from your phone, the information in the text is initially in digital form as it is stored and processed within the phone. However, in order to transmit this information wirelessly, it needs to be converted into analog form in the form of radio waves.
Digital information is represented in a discrete, numerical form using binary code, where 0s and 1s are used to represent data. Analog information, on the other hand, is continuous and represented by physical signals such as voltage or frequency.
So, when you send a text, the phone's processor converts the digital text into analog radio waves by modulating the amplitude, frequency, or phase of a carrier signal. This analog signal is then transmitted wirelessly to a receiver, where it is converted back into digital form for processing and display on the recipient's phone.