What is the term for the loss of signal power, typically measured in decibels?

What is the term for the loss of signal power, typically measured in decibels?

• A. Attenuation
• B. Amplification
• C. Attenuator
• D. Degradation

Answer: (A)

Attenuation is the decrease in signal power as it travels through a medium. It’s what you measure when you look at how much a cable or transmission path weakens the signal, and decibels are used because they let you express large losses in a compact, additive way. In practice, the total loss along a path is the sum of the losses from each segment, connectors, and splices, which helps ensure the signal stays above the required level. The relationship to power is Pout = Pin × 10^(−loss_dB/10), so a small number of decibels can mean a noticeable drop in power (for example, about 3 dB is roughly a 50% reduction in power). This concept is central to analyzing limited-energy cabling, where you must account for how much signal is reduced over length and through connections. Amplification increases signal power, not describes the inherent loss. An attenuator is a device that deliberately reduces signal strength, but attenuation is the general term for the loss itself. Degradation is too vague to describe the precise, quantitative loss measured in decibels.

Attenuation is the decrease in signal power as it travels through a medium. It’s what you measure when you look at how much a cable or transmission path weakens the signal, and decibels are used because they let you express large losses in a compact, additive way. In practice, the total loss along a path is the sum of the losses from each segment, connectors, and splices, which helps ensure the signal stays above the required level. The relationship to power is Pout = Pin × 10^(−loss_dB/10), so a small number of decibels can mean a noticeable drop in power (for example, about 3 dB is roughly a 50% reduction in power). This concept is central to analyzing limited-energy cabling, where you must account for how much signal is reduced over length and through connections. Amplification increases signal power, not describes the inherent loss. An attenuator is a device that deliberately reduces signal strength, but attenuation is the general term for the loss itself. Degradation is too vague to describe the precise, quantitative loss measured in decibels.