What is Amplitude Modulation (AM)?

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Amplitude Modulation (AM) is a technique in which the strength or amplitude of a carrier wave is varied in accordance with the information signal being transmitted. This means that the amplitude of the carrier wave changes based on the sound, voice, or data input, allowing the transmission of that information over radio waves.

In AM, the frequency and phase of the carrier wave remain constant while the amplitude changes. This variation conveys the audio or information signal, enabling it to be received and decoded by AM radio receivers. The use of amplitude changes for modulation is the fundamental aspect that defines AM, differentiating it from other modulation methods such as Frequency Modulation (FM), which varies the frequency instead.

The alternative choices do not accurately describe AM: modifying the frequency pertains to FM, digital encoding is associated with digital signal processing, and a wave that carries no information does not align with the principles of modulation, where the information is indeed carried via the amplitude variations of the wave.