modulation

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modulation In physics, the process of varying the characteristics of one wave system in accordance with those of another. It is basic to radio broadcasting. In amplitude modulation (AM), the amplitude of a high-frequency radio carrier wave varies in accordance with the frequency of a current generated by a sound wave. This means the wave will vary with a broadcast sound, such as a voice or music. Frequency modulation (FM), in which the frequency of the carrier wave is modulated, is used for static-free, short-range broadcasting.

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