Question

What are data? what are signals? What is the relationship between data and signals? Data can be analog or digital. Analog data refers to continuous. Digital data are discrete. Signal can be either analog and digital. An analog signal has infinitely many levels of intensity over a period of time. A digital signal can have only a limited number of defined values, often as 0 and 1. Please understand these basic concepts and share your understanding.

This is from Computer Networks Subject. A very brief explanation will help.

Answer 1

Data and signals:

In this computerized world, the two most important term always in discussion from communication point of view is "data" and "signals". These two things are highly interconnected, which help us in various form of communication business.

~ Basically signal means, the way that we are using for the communications namely, FM, AM, SOS, Smoke and so on.

~ Basically data means, the data that are carried over the signal to the dedicated receivers, additionally it can also be stored.

Note:  Signals can convey data, but not all the data are signaled.

Here both the data and signals can be segregated into two different form, Analog, Digital.

~ The analog form of data are continuous one, where the digital form of data discrete (not a continuous one).

~ The analog signals are continuous form of wave, which might vary over the period of time, however the digital signals are discrete in form, which is a binary one.

Analog data :

~ It is the data that was represented in physical form.

~ It can be stored in physical media like, magnetic tape, VCR.

~ It can be considered as organic data or real world one.

Digital data:

~ It is a collection of individual symbols.

~ any kind of natural phenomena can be converted into digital data, image , video, sound and so on.

~ It simply uses a binary set to form any data, either it may be 0 or 1.

Analog Signal:

~ The continuous analog signals are represented through sine waves.

~ It can be described in term of amplitude, frequency, phase.

~ There is no any limited range for the analog signals, and it transmit data in the form of wave.

Digital Signal:

~ The discrete digital signals are represented through square waves.

~ It can be described in terms of bit rate and bit intervals.

~ The range of digital signals are limited between 0 and 1, and digital signal carries the data.