01/12/2024, 00:15 Amplitude Modulation - Definition, Types, Expression - GeeksforGeeks

Amplitude Modulation - Definition, Types,

Expression
Last Updated : 15 May, 2024

Amplitude Modulation or AM, is a modulation technology mainly used

for radio carrier wave-based message transmission which modifies the
carrier wave's amplitude (signal intensity) in accordance with the
message signal, such as an audio signal, i.e., a modulating signal.

In this article, we will learn what amplitude modulation is, its definition,
historical overview, equations to explain the process , its applications in
telecommunication, and some related methodologies. We will also
solve some numerical problems based on amplitude modulation and
attempt to answer FAQs regarding this topic

What is Amplitude Modulation?

Amplitude modulation, or AM, is a modulation technology mainly used
for radio carrier wave-based message transmission. Amplitude
modulation modifies the carrier wave's amplitude (signal intensity) in
accordance with the message signal, such as an audio signal, i.e., a
modulating signal. The mechanism of AM can be:

A complex interaction between modulating waves and carrier signals

is the basis of AM.
By means of a rigorous modulation procedure, information is encoded
for transmission by the carrier wave's amplitude, which experiences
minute variations in response to the modulating signal.
Demodulation techniques use complex circuitry to accurately detect
and amplify the modulating waveform; these techniques are crucial
for recovering the original signal from AM transmissions.
In simple terms, AM works by altering the height/magnitude of the
carrier wave to match the information we want to send, then
changing it back at the other end to hear or see the message.

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Historical Overview

Amplitude modulation, known as AM, emerged as one of the initial

modulation techniques employed for transmitting data via radio waves.
It was developed during the 20th century as a result of the
radiotelephone experiments conducted by Landell de Moura and
Reginald Fessenden in the 1900s. Following multiple successful trials,
this modulation method was further refined and implemented in
electronic communication systems and has been a great boon to the
field of telecommunications ever since. The history of AM, from when it
started to when it became a normal part of electronic communication,
shows big improvements and new ideas in technology.

Why Do We Need Modulation?

In the current world it is not necessary to have wired connection to
every communication device. Within minutes, signals, messages, and
information can be sent across the globe. The modulation process plays
a major role in achieving this.

Modulation enables efficient and reliable communication over long

distances, even in the presence of noise and interference, making it an
important component of modern telecommunications. Here are some of
the ways in which modulation plays a crucial role in modern
telecommunications:

High Range Transmission

Modulation is essential for high-range transmission because it allows

signals to be sent over long distances without degradation. In the
absence of modulation, signals would quickly weaken over distance and
long-distance communication would become impossible.

The height of the transmitting and receiving antennas should be similar

to a quarter of the wavelength of the frequency being used for efficient
communication. Therefore, the minimum antenna length required for the
effective transmission of λ wavelength signals is λ/4.

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hmin = λ/4 where λ is the wavelength of the modulating signal

Quality of Transmission

Through the improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio, modulation

techniques increase the quality of transmission. During transmission,
noise and interference may reduce the quality of signals, particularly
over crowded frequency bands or noisy channels.

By distributing the signal energy across a larger frequency range,

modulation reduces the signal's sensitivity to noise and interference and
enhances the transmission quality overall.

λ = Wavelength of the transmitting signal

For small λ or high frequency ⇒ Transmission power is high and

quality of transmission is high
For high λ or small frequency ⇒ Transmission power is small and
quality of transmission is low

Avoiding the Overlapping of Signals

There is a high probability of two different signals transmitted from

different transmitting stations to have the same frequency which in turn
causes them to get mixed up or overlap with one another. This problem
requires modulation as a solution to prevent them from getting mixed
up.

We can avoid signal interference by modulating each signal onto a

different carrier frequency or with a different modulation method. This
increases the overall efficiency and capacity of the system by allowing
several users to share the same communication channel without
interfering with each other's messages.

Terms Related to Amplitude Modulation

Following terms are related to amplitude modulation:

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Carrier Wave

A carrier wave is a pure wave of constant frequency analogous to a sine

wave of electronic signal. It doesn't carry much information itself that
we can relate to (such as speech or data).

Modulating Signal

To include speech information or data information to the carrier wave

which can be interpreted, another wave needs to be imposed, called an
input signal, on top of the carrier wave. This input signal is known as
the modulating signal.

Modulation

Modulation is defined as the process of superimposing a low-frequency

signal which is coined as the input signal or modulating signal on a
high-frequency carrier signal whose data or speech needs to be
interpreted.
Courses @35% Off Physics Class-12th Notes Physics Formulas Physics Symbol Application of Physic
Amplitude Phase

Amplitude is the maximum distance from the center line to the peak;
phase, on the other hand, tells us where any particle in a periodic
waveform is located and frequency is the number of waves passing
through a given point in a second.

Amplitude modulation alters the carrier wave's magnitude to convey

information, which is then restored at the receiver to interpret the
message.
In contrast, Frequency modulation adjusts the carrier wave's
frequency, allowing data and speech information to be transmitted
via frequency changes.
Similarly, phase modulation varies the carrier wave's phase to convey
data and speech information. Each modulation technique offers
unique methods for encoding and transmitting information

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Amplitude Modulated Waveform

The combination of the modulating signal and the carrier wave
produces the amplitude modulated signal, which is the final waveform
as shown in the figure given below.

Expression for Amplitude Modulated Wave

Carrier wave will be generally a high frequency wave and similar to sine
or cosine wave and can be represented as :

C(t)=Acsinωct ……..(1)

or

C(t)= Acsin( 2πfct)

where,

Ac is the amplitude of carrier wave,

sinωct is phase of carrier wave,
fc is frequency of carrier wave
C(t) is our carrier wave,

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Modulating signal is also analogous to a sine or cosine wave and

represented as:

m(t)= Amsinωmt ….. 2

or

m(t)= Amsin( 2πfmt)

where

Am is the amplitude of modulating wave,

sinωmt is phase of modulating wave,
fm is frequency of modulating signal
m(t) is our modulating or input signal.

We are now superimposing modulating signal into a carrier wave to

interpret the data and speech information and thus also varying the
amplitude of the carrier wave in accordance with the amplitude of the
modulating signal, and hence the amplitude-modulated wave Cm(t) will
be:

Cm(t) = (Ac + Am sin ωmt) sin ωct ………..(3)

This is the general form of an amplitude-modulated wave.

The degree of modulation is given by index of modulation.

From equation (3), we have,

Cm(t) = (Ac + Am sin ωmt) sin ωct

Taking Ac common in (3), we get

Cm(t)=Ac(1+(Am/Ac)sin(ωmt))sin(ωct ) …….. 4

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where

Am/Ac= μ, which is known as modulation index also known as

modulation factor, modulation coefficient or degree of modulation.

Thus modulation index is defined as the ratio of the amplitude of the

modulating signal to the amplitude of the carrier wave.

Modulation Index

Modulation index (μ) is defined as ratio of the amplitude of the

modulating signal to the amplitude of the carrier wave. Its mathematical
expression and detailed explanation is discussed later in the article.

Communication Systems and Modulation

Communication systems are essential for the transmission of
information over long distances, enabling people to exchange
messages, data, and signals reliably. Information is encoded,
transmitted, received, and decoded in these systems using a variety of
media, including wires, cables, optical fibers, and wireless channels in
the form of electronic signals. They are mainly carried out in two
different ways:

Analog signal transmission

Digital signal transmission

An analogue electronic signal can be represented in to form of either

cosine or a sine wave:

m(t) = Amsin(ωmt+θ)

or

m(t) = Amcos(ωmt+θ)

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where

m(t) is the modulating signal

Am is amplitude of the modulating signal,
(ωmt+θ) is the phase of the signal

Types Of Amplitude Modulation

Amplitude Modulation can be categorized into three main domains:

Double sideband-suppressed carrier modulation (DSB-SC): In this,

the frequency spectrum of the modulating signal is symmetrically below
and above that of the carrier signal. Sidebands are represented by the
incoming information signal's lower and upper frequencies. Higher
frequency components are found in upper sidebands compared to lower
sidebands and lower frequency components in carrier frequencies.

Modulation of a single sideband ( SSB): Amplification of single

sideband refers to the transmission of only one sideband through an
antenna. It has a sideband on either the top or lower half.

Modulation of the Vestigial Sideband (VSB): It is a solution to the

problem of distracting noises created as a result of bandpass filter not
having the capacity to block off frequencies outside of the cut off zone.
In this instance, one of the sidebands ( upper or lower) is transmitted
but a part of the other is not.

ITU type designations

In the year of 1982, the International telecommunication Union (ITU)

designated the types of amplitude modulation as given in the table
below:

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Designation Description

A3E DOUBLE-SIDEBAND A FULL CARRIER

R3E SINGLE-SIDEBAND REDUCED-CARRIER

H3E SINGLE-SIDEBAND FULL-CARRIER

J3E SINGLE-SIDEBAND SUPPRESSED-CARRIER

B8E INDEPENDENT-SIDEBAND EMISSION

C3F VESTIGIAL-SIDEBAND

LINCOMPEX LINKED COMPRESSOR AND EXPANDER

Linear Modulation and Over Modulation

There are two categories of amplitude modulated wave determined

from the value of modulation index μ.

Linear Modulation: Linear modulation is observed when the modulation

index μ is less than 1.

Over Modulation: Over modulation is observed when the modulation

index μ is greater than 1.

Linearly modulated waves are preferred over overly modulated ones.

This is due to the fact that the overmodulated wave's amplitude
eventually drops to zero. It indicates that the amplitude is not changed
in accordance with the message signal at that point. hence, the signal
will be distorted.

Transmission Efficiency

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The transmission efficiency (η) of AM wave is defined as the percentage

of total power contributed by side bands of the AM signal. In other
words, it is the ratio of the power used to send the message signal to
the total power used to send or transmit data over the AM wave
system.

As soon as the broadcast signal is received, it is necessary to separate

the message signal from the carrier wave. Therefore, there is a
difference between the total power consumption and the power needed
to convey the message signal.

It is related to the modulation index as given by the equation:

η = μ2/(2+μ2) × 100 % ….. 5

Frequencies of Amplitude Modulated Wave

From equation (4), we have :

Cm(t) = Ac(1+(Am/Ac)sin(ωmt))sin(ωct ) = Acsin(ωct) +

Acμsin(ωmt)sin(ωct)

The above equation can be re-written as :

Cm(t) = Acsin(ωct) + (Acμ/2) × [cos(ωc-ωm) - cos(ωc+ωm)] ( ∵ sinA.sinB

= (1/2) × [cos(A-B)-cos(A+B)]

Cm(t) = Acsin(ωct) + (Acμ/2) × cos(ωc-ωm)- (Acμ/2) × cos(ωc+ωm)

……………….. 6

From the above equation, we can see that amplitude modulated wave is
the sum of three sine or cosine waves.

Thus, there are three frequencies in amplitude modulated waves- f1 ,f2

and f3 corresponding to ωc, ωc + ωm and ωc - ωm respectively.

ω1 = ωc ⇒ it is corresponding f = f 1 c

ω2 = ω + ω ⇒ it is corresponding f = f +f
c m 2 c m

ω3 = ω - ω ⇒ it is corresponding f = f -f
c m 3 c m

where
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fc is Carrier wave frequency

fc + fm is Upper side band frequency
fc - fm is Lower side band frequency
fm is Modulating signal frequency

In general fc >> fm

Bandwidth
Bandwidth (BW) is defined as the difference between the highest and
lowest frequencies of the signal.

BW = Upper sideband frequency (fc + fm) - Lower sideband frequency

(fc - fm)

or

BW= fmax - fmin

BW= (fc + fm) - (fc - fm)= fc + fm - fc + fm= 2fm

BW= 2fm = Twice the frequency of the modulating signal

Advantages and Disadvantages of Amplitude

Modulation
The advantages and disadvantages of amplitude modulation is
tabulated below:

Advantages Disadvantages

Most straightforward mode of

It is not so efficient when comes to
modulation and easier to
power usage.
implement.

Demodulation of the transmitted There is requirement of a very high

wave is easily carried out using a bandwidth that is equivalent to the
few components and a circuit. highest audio frequency.

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Advantages Disadvantages

There is high signal attenuation due

It is a cheaper and cost-effective
to noise interference which is highly
technique of modulation.
noticeable.

Applications of Amplitude Modulation

Amplitude Modulation ( AM) is a modulation technique employed in
diverse applications across different fields. Here are some key
applications of amplitude modulation :

1. Radio Broadcasting: AM is frequently utilized to send audio signals

over great distances in radio broadcasting. The amplitude of a high-
frequency carrier wave in AM radio is modulated by the audio signal
(music, voice, etc.), which enables the wave to transport audio data.

2. Shortwave Broadcasting: AM modulation is used in shortwave radio

broadcasting to send signals over great distances. Large geographic
areas can be covered via shortwave broadcasts, which are frequently
utilized for distant locations, emergency communication, and worldwide
broadcasting.

3. Wireless Communication: AM modulation is used in a number of

wireless communication systems, including audio transmission systems,
wireless intercom systems, and wireless microphones. It offers an easy-
to-use and efficient way to wirelessly transmit audio signals.

Demodulation Techniques
Demodulation methods in amplitude modulation (AM) are techniques
employed to extract the original modulating signal (such as audio and
speech) from the modulated carrier wave. Several demodulation
methods are commonly employed in AM systems:

Envelope Detection

To recover the original modulating signal, it involves detecting the

modulated signal to create a unipolar waveform, and then smoothing
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the resulting signal. Although envelope detection is simple and cheap, it

performs poorly in noisy environments and introduces distortion.

Diode Demodulation

The process of diode demodulation involves rectifying the modulated

signal using diodes. The diode produces a waveform that depicts the
modulating signal's envelope by allowing just half of the modulated
waveform to pass through.

Difference between AM and FM

The differences between Amplitude Modulation and Frequency
Modulation can easily learnt form the table added below:

Amplitude Modulation Frequency Modulation

AM has a bad sound quality FM has a good sound quality as compared

as compared to FM to AM

It is cheaper technology It is expensive

AM can be sent over a large FM can be blocked by things like walls

distance and can't sent over long distance

Less power efficient More power efficient

Shorter broadcast range Long Broadcast Range

Modulates amplitude of the

Modulates frequency of carrier signal
carrier signal

Also, Check

Difference between Frequency Modulation and Phase Modulation

Radio Waves

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Amplitude Modulation Solved Examples

Example 1: A carrier wave of frequency 3 MHz with a pack voltage of
30V is used to modulate a signal of frequency 2kHz with a pack
voltage of 25V. Find the following:

i) Modulation index

ii) Frequencies of the modulated wave

iii) Bandwidth

Solution:

Given, Am = Amplitude of modulating wave = 25 V

Ac = Amplitude of carrier wave = 30 V

i) Modulation index, μ = Am/Ac = 25/30 = 0.83

ii) Frequencies of modulated wave is given by fc, fc + fm, fc-fm

fc = 3 MHz = 3 × 106 Hz, fm= 2 kHz = 2 × 103 Hz

fc + fm = 3 × 106 + 2 × 103 = 3002 × 103 Hz = 3002 kHz (Upper

sideband frequency)

fc - fm = 3 × 106 - 2 x 103 = 2998 x 103 Hz = 2998 kHz (Lower

sideband frequency)

iii) Bandwidth (BW)

BW = Upper side band frequency - Lower side band frequency

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BW = (fc + fm) - ( fc - fm )

= 2fm = 2 × 2 kHz = 4kHz

Example 2: A modulating signal m(t) = 10cos(2π × 103t) is amplitude

modulated with a carrier signal c(t) = 50cos(2π × 105t). Find the
modulation index and band width.

Solution:

Given, the equation of modulating signal is :

m(t) = 10cos (2π × 103t)

It is known to us that the standard equation of modulating signal

is given as :

m(t) = Am cos(2πfmt)

By comparing the above two equations, we will obtain

Amplitude of modulating signal, Am = 10 V and frequency of

modulating signal, fm = 103 Hz =1kHz

Given, the equation of carrier signal is:

C(t) = 50cos(2π × 105t)

It is known to us that the standard equation of carrier signal is:

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C(t) = Accos(2πfct)

By comparing these two equations, we will obtain

Amplitude of the carrier signal as Ac = 50 V and frequency of the

carrier signal as fc = 105 Hz = 100KHz

So modulation index can be determined from the equation , μ =

Am/Ac

Therefore, μ = 10/50 = 0.2

The value of modulation index is thereby 0.2 and percentage of

modulation is 20% ( μ × 100 %)

Band width is given by , BW = 2fm = 2 × 103 Hz = 2 kHz

Amplitude Modulation FAQs

What is meaning of amplitude modulation?

Amplitude modulation is a modulation technique employed in

electronic communication and modifies the carrier wave's
amplitude (signal intensity) in accordance to the message signal,
such as an audio signal i.e. a modulating signal.

What is a modulation index?

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Modulation index (μ) is defined as ratio of the amplitude of the

modulating signal to the amplitude of the carrier wave. It is given
as μ = Am/Ac where Am is amplitude of modulating signal and Ac
is amplitude of carrier signal.

Who developed the amplitude modulation technique?

Amplitude modulation was developed by Landell de Moura and

Reginald Fessenden in 1900s.

Give the expression for amplitude modulated wave.

Amplitude modulated wave is given by: Cm(t) = (Ac + Am sin ωmt)

sin ωct

How do you differentiate between amplitude modulation and

frequency modulation?

The difference lies in the modulation or alteration of the carrier

wave. Amplitude modulation works by altering the amplitude of
the carrier wave to match the information we want to send, then
changing it back at the other end to hear or see the message.

It differs from frequency modulation or FM where the frequency of

the carrier wave is altered by imparting the input signal and thus
the users are able to use changes of frequency to carry data and
speech information.

Which one is preferred out of frequency modulation and

amplitude modulation?

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There is lot of noise interference in amplitude modulation causing

the attenuation of the signal. Owing to the increased bandwidth in
case of frequency modulation, frequency modulation has better
sound quality and is the preferable one.

What is the band width for amplitude modulated (AM) wave?

Band width (BW) is defined as the difference between the

extreme frequencies.

BW = Upper sideband frequency (fc + fm) - Lower sideband

frequency (fc - fm).

What are the frequency components in an AM wave?

There are three frequencies in amplitude modulated waves f1 ,f2

and f3 corresponding to ωc, ωc + ωm and ωc - ωm respectively.

ω1 = ωc is corresponding f1 = fc which is the carrier wave

frequency

ω2 = ωc + ωm is corresponding f2 = fc+fm which is upper sideband

frequency

ω3 = ωc - ωm is corresponding f3 = fc-fm which is lower sideband

frequency.

What is transmission efficiency in AM wave?

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The transmission efficiency (η) of AM wave is defined as the

percentage of total power contributed by side bands of the AM
signal.

What is meant by demodulation?

Demodulation is defined as the process of extracting a

modulating/input signal from the modulated signal. In simpler
terms, demodulation or detection is the process by which the
message is recovered from the modulated signal at receiver.

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