Amplitude Modulation


The graph above is of some random signal, with an amplitude, or strength, of 1. This signal has a period of p (a period is the amount of time before a wave repeats itself, i.e. p=1/f). We might let a signal with amplitude 1 represent a binary 0.

This is the same sound wave as above, because it has the same period p. However, this signal has a higher amplitude of 2. We might let a signal with amplitude 2 represent a binary 1.

This is what amplitude modulation looks like. Notice that the period is the same for the entire signal, and that only the amplitude varies.

Assuming amplitude=1 represents a binary 0, and amplitude=2 represents a binary 1, this signal would represent 0011010.

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