Mobile phones how does it work

Cell phones or mobile phones are not just a thing of vanity or luxury any longer. So we can say that smartphones are virtually mobile versions of personal computers. In its most basic form, a cell phone is a two-way radio, in a way it is like a walkie-talkie. It consists of a radio transmitter and a radio receiver.

When you make calls with someone on your cell phone, your phone converts your voice into radio waves, which then travel through the air until they reach the nearest cell tower.

Then, the network of cell towers relays the radio waves to the cell phone of your intended receiver, which converts it to an electric signal and then gets back to sound again. What are radio waves?

Cell phones operate with radio frequencies. A radio wave is a form of electromagnetic energy located on the magnetic spectrum between FM radio waves that are used in microwave ovens, radar, and satellite stations. But if one moves away from the antenna, the signal weakens and communication may be interrupted. To avoid this, the mobile continuously measures the quality of nearby signals.

And during a call, below a certain threshold, it is able to automatically switch the connection to another closer or less-congested antenna of the operator. Different technologies used by mobiles Nowadays, mobile phones primarily use three technologies based on antenna cell networks. In recent years, other technologies have emerged and enriched mobile uses:. Radio Waves how does a mobile phone work? A GSM phone can provide up to a maximum power of 2W during a call, and in the best reception conditions, the power can be a thousand times lower about 0.

This technology is also far more effective in signal processing, because in optimal conditions for receiving, a 3G mobile can operate at power levels several million times less than its maximum power its maximum power is 0. What's that familiar sound? It's the phone, of course. Whether it's a land line at home or a cell phone on the go, the ring of a phone is music to our ears. When we hear that sound, we know we're about to hear the voice of a friend or loved one.

Many of us take phones for granted. After all, the technology has been around a long time. But isn't it incredible all the same? Hundreds of years ago, your communication options were quite limited.

If you had a message for a friend, you could tell them in person or write them a letter. Today you might text, post, or email someone a message. Or you can pick up a phone to hear their voice on the other end…and they could even be on top of a mountain at the other end of the world! In , Alexander Graham Bell patented the first telephone. The technology in existence at that time was not very advanced. Surprisingly, though, the basic technology that makes land line phones work hasn't changed drastically in the years and more since then.

Home phones, or land lines as they are commonly known now, are very simple devices that, at their most basic, require only a switch, a speaker , and a microphone. Of course, most land line phones have various other types of technology to improve their sound and performance. Many phones in homes and offices are called land lines because they are connected to a phone network via physical wires and cables. A wired connection runs from the inside and connects to a phone box on the outside.

From that box, many wires are bound together that then connect to a phone company's local switch. At the phone company's switch, advanced computer systems connect your call to the person you want to speak with. Although many intermediate steps are involved along the way, a phone's basic operation involves turning your voice from sound waves into digital data that is then transmitted along various lines until it reaches the phone of the person you're speaking to.

In the recipient 's phone, the digital data is converted by the speaker back into sound waves you recognize as the voice of the person you're speaking to. For many years, phone users were bound by land lines. To speak to someone, you needed to be at home where your phone was.

If you were on the go, you were out of luck unless you could find a pay phone to use. Of course, all of that changed when cell phones were developed.

Unlike land lines, cell phones are not bound by physical wires. With a cell phone, you're free to travel and roam far away from home and still stay in touch with those you love. Although it probably seems normal to be able to stay connected no matter where you are in today's world, the limits of communication were much different before cell phones. So, how do cell phones transmit your voice to another phone without wires? They do it through the air!

At a basic level, cell phones are just extremely sophisticated radios. With the number of cell phones in use every day, the usual range of radio frequencies simply would not allow for enough channels for everyone to communicate. However, the cellular system divides areas into smaller areas, called cells, which allow the limited number of frequencies to be reused across a wider area.

As the number of cell phone users in an area increases, mobile phone carriers will usually respond by building more cell towers in that area. This allows current cells to be further subdivided in order to improve coverage and service for all users.

With the invention of digital cell phones, radio technology was maximized by digitizing and compressing signal information to make the most of the frequencies available. Today, a modern smartphone is a miniature computer in your hand.

Unlike a basic land line phone, a modern smartphone contains amazing and complex technology that allows you to do so much more than simply speak with someone on the other end of the line! We hope you enjoyed learning all about how phones work today in Wonderopolis! Learn even more when you check out the following activities with a friend or family member:. Hi Abby, phones are a great way of communication! If you want a more in-depth article about that, you can submit your question to our Wonder Bank!

Make sure you add your question to the Wonder Bank! Hi Katelyn! You can submit your question to our Wonder Bank! Great question, Jocelyn! Wonder Where Is the Edge of the Universe? That's a good question, colin! We encourage you to continue learning how we are able to call others who live far away.

Search online or at your local library! We hope you'll continuing researching how sound waves are turned into digital data. When you find the answer, please share it with us so that we learn something new too! Hi, Shatayah! We encourage you to submit your question to the Wonder Bank and keep researching at your library and online! Hello, boby! We are glad you liked this video. Welcome back, nneka! Wonder When Is Technology Old? Welcome, nneka!

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