PHOTOPHONE Meaning and
Definition
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A photophone is a device used for transmitting sound over a beam of light. It was invented by Alexander Graham Bell and his assistant Charles Sumner Tainter in 1880. The term itself is derived from the Greek words "photo" meaning light and "phone" meaning sound. The photophone is considered as an early version of wireless communication.
The operation of a photophone involves converting sound waves into light waves using a sensitive diaphragm and a focused beam of light. The variations in the sound waves cause the diaphragm to vibrate, which, in turn, modulates the intensity of the light beam. This modulated light beam is then transmitted to a receiving station, where it is converted back into sound waves using a light-sensitive detector and a resonating diaphragm.
Unlike other communication devices of the time, such as the telephone, which relied on electrical signals, the photophone used light waves for transmission. This made it the first technology to enable wireless communication through the use of a beam of light. However, the range of the photophone was limited due to factors such as atmospheric conditions and obstacles in the path of the light beam.
Although the photophone did not gain widespread adoption, it paved the way for the development of fiber optic communication systems, which use light signals to transmit information over long distances.
Common Misspellings for PHOTOPHONE
- ohotophone
- lhotophone
- -hotophone
- 0hotophone
- pgotophone
- pbotophone
- pnotophone
- pjotophone
- puotophone
- pyotophone
- phitophone
- phktophone
- phltophone
- phptophone
- ph0tophone
- ph9tophone
- phorophone
- phofophone
- phogophone
- phoyophone
Etymology of PHOTOPHONE
The word photophone derives from Greek roots. Photo comes from the Greek word phos, meaning light, and phone comes from the Greek word phone, meaning sound or voice. Therefore, photophone literally means light sound or light voice.
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