Wavelength and information.

In summary, the shorter the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, the more information it can carry per second. This is due to the higher frequency of shorter wavelengths, allowing for more distinguishable wave "packets" to be transmitted in a given time. This is also why gamma radiation can potentially send more information per second than radiowaves.
  • #1
alvarogz
38
0
What kind of electromagnetic radiation can carry more information?. I mean, what is the relation between shorter or longer wavelength and the information that can go within.

I wonder how the dynamics of this process works, considering that sound waves also can carry information, as well every single radiation that we can analize , but in terms of capacity or type of information... that's my point.
 
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  • #2
You can send more information per second using shorter wavelengths. But the cause is high frequency, rather than the wavelength itself.
 
  • #3
So Gamma radiation sends more information than radiowaves? Or there's another kind of paremeter for measuring information?
 
  • #4
Per unit time, yes, you could send a lot more information in gamma than in radio. Hypothetically speaking, of course. No conceivable device can operate on required frequencies.
 
  • #5
K^2 said:
You can send more information per second using shorter wavelengths. But the cause is high frequency, rather than the wavelength itself.

That's absolutely correct.

Expanding a bit though - think of sending Morse code (or binary information). You have to distinguish between an 'on' state and an 'off' state of a carrier wave.

Unfortunately, you can't suddenly 'shut off' a wave, it has to be wound down over a number of cycles. Your nice sharp on/off's become smeared out wave 'packets'. (there are lots of theoretical subtleties in that statement - I'm just giving the bare-bones idea).

You can see that each packet needs to be at least a few cycles long to be distinguishable as a packet. A higher carrier frequency allows you to squeeze more packets into a given time.
 

What is the relationship between wavelength and information?

The wavelength of a signal is inversely proportional to the amount of information it can carry. This means that shorter wavelengths can carry more information than longer wavelengths.

How does the wavelength of a signal affect the quality of information transmission?

The shorter the wavelength, the less susceptible the signal is to interference and distortion. This results in higher quality information transmission.

What is the role of wavelength in wireless communication?

Wavelength plays a crucial role in wireless communication as it determines the range and bandwidth of the signal. Shorter wavelengths are used for higher frequency signals, which have a shorter range but can carry more data, while longer wavelengths are used for lower frequency signals with a longer range but lower data capacity.

How is information encoded in a wavelength-based communication system?

In wavelength-based communication systems, information is encoded by varying the amplitude, frequency, or phase of the signal. This allows different wavelengths to represent different pieces of information, which can then be decoded by the receiver.

What are some real-world applications of wavelength-based communication?

Wavelength-based communication is used in various technologies, such as radio and television broadcasting, wireless internet, satellite communication, and fiber optics. It is also used in medical imaging and remote sensing applications.

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