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Electrical & Electronics Engineering vocabulary · Signals and Analog Electronics

Noise

Meaning in electrical & electronics engineering, with examples

/nɔɪz/nounCore term

In electrical & electronics engineering, noise means: Unwanted random or interfering signals that mix with the signal you want and make it harder to measure or use. It can come from components, power supplies, motors or radio sources.

In Turkish: gürültü, parazit

How it is used

Used in analog design, measurement and EMC. Engineers reduce or filter noise and talk about switching noise, electrical noise, the noise floor and the signal-to-noise ratio. Cables and traces can 'pick up' noise from nearby sources.

Example sentences

  1. There's a lot of noise on the ADC readings when the motor is running.

  2. Route the sensor cable away from the drive so it doesn't pick up noise.

Common collocations

  • switching noise
  • noise floor
  • pick up noise
  • reduce noise
  • signal-to-noise ratio
  • signalA voltage or current that carries information, such as a sensor reading, a sound or digital data. Signals can be analog, changing smoothly, or digital, switching between fixed levels.
  • filterA circuit that lets some frequencies pass and blocks or weakens others. Common types are low-pass, high-pass, band-pass and notch filters.
  • EMCShort for electromagnetic compatibility: the ability of a device to work properly in its electromagnetic environment without disturbing other equipment or being disturbed by it.
  • ground planeA large, continuous area of copper on a PCB layer that is connected to ground. It gives signals a short, low-impedance return path and helps reduce noise.
  • decibelA logarithmic unit (dB) that compares two power or voltage levels. An increase of 3 dB roughly doubles the power, and 20 dB means ten times the voltage.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Signals and Analog Electronics

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