Which types of information can be contained in the radio waves generated by a transmitter?

Which types of information can be contained in the radio waves generated by a transmitter?

• A. Audio and video only
• B. Audio, video, or digital data
• C. Text only
• D. Analog signals only

Answer: (B)

Radio waves carry information by modulating a carrier signal, and that information can take many forms. Because the modulating signal can be audio, video, or digital data (which itself can encode text, images, and more), the waves produced by a transmitter are not limited to a single type of information. This is why audio, video, or digital data is the best description. Text alone is too narrow—text can be transmitted as digital data, but there are also audio and video transmissions. Saying it’s only analog excludes the widespread digital transmissions, and saying it’s analog-only ignores the many digital communications in use today.

Radio waves carry information by modulating a carrier signal, and that information can take many forms. Because the modulating signal can be audio, video, or digital data (which itself can encode text, images, and more), the waves produced by a transmitter are not limited to a single type of information. This is why audio, video, or digital data is the best description.

Text alone is too narrow—text can be transmitted as digital data, but there are also audio and video transmissions. Saying it’s only analog excludes the widespread digital transmissions, and saying it’s analog-only ignores the many digital communications in use today.