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Mobile phone mastHow do mobile phones work?

It is not only ovens that make use of microwaves – they are also used to send information from your mobile phone, whether it is a conversation, a text message, a photograph or even a video clip.

A mobile phone receives microwave signals from a nearby phone mast (or ‘transmitter’) and sends microwave signals back. These short bursts of microwave radiation can transmit a lot of information in a very short time.

Read through this presentation on Radio Waves

You should now know that base stations use radio waves to transmit radio waves to mobile phones. Conversations are then encoded as information in digital signals to be carried by these waves.


 
Q1. What range of frequencies are used to transmitting mobile signals?

  • Show Answer

    • Answer: between 900MHz to 1.8 GHz

Q2. Referring to the electromagnetic spectrum can you find the approximate wavelength for the frequency range you have chosen in your answer to Q1.

  • Show Answer

    • Answer: around 10-1m or 0.1m or 10 cm


 
Next: Who's using mobile phones

 

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Current rating: 3/5 (from 4 votes cast)

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NOT RATED mitch 10-04-08 13:59
this is very helpful, shout out to mr whitton
Henrich 18-11-08 14:52
Get a life
NOT RATED danni 04-12-08 13:46
dis iz so borin gt sum games on dis site
NOT RATED Thomas Burke 19-01-09 13:43
I can has mobiles?
NOT RATED Dan Evans 20-01-09 13:25
I eat to much wich is why i'm so fat

Mobile phones r gr8 but this site is a bit hard to understand 4 me
NOT RATED sum1 17-03-09 12:38
a fink this is stupid, theres nee evidence wot so eva of anything happenin of a mobile fne so y try n fill ppls heads wif crap, n ur not exactly makin ppl stop usin them so wots th point wif this website
NOT RATED enyaa 28-10-09 13:25
i think this is very useful
im doing gcse tripl science atm and this is really helpful. :)
likle ms terra 23-06-10 13:00
good clear information! my kids now no that the police will know if they are up to some thing!
eltham hill girl 23-06-10 13:05
helped us alot with our work, thanks guys... great information, very clear.....
shout out to Mr Waring
wouldnt you like to know! 23-06-10 13:07
this site didnt help me at all, all i now know is that the police know my bissness!