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AQA GCSE · Question 13.1 · Fundamentals of data representation
Analogue sound must be converted to a digital form for storage and processing in a computer. Define the term sample resolution.
Analogue sound must be converted to a digital form for storage and processing in a computer. Define the term sample resolution.
How to approach this question
Think about what is being measured when a sound wave is sampled. Each sample records the amplitude (height) of the wave at a point in time. How is the precision of that measurement defined? What unit is it measured in?
Full Answer
When an analogue sound wave is converted to a digital signal, the process is called sampling. The amplitude (or height) of the wave is measured at regular intervals. **Sample resolution**, also known as bit depth, refers to the number of bits that are used to store the value of each of these individual measurements (samples). A higher sample resolution means more bits are used per sample, allowing for a more accurate representation of the original sound's amplitude, which results in higher quality audio.
Common mistakes
✗ Confusing sample resolution with sample rate (which is the number of samples taken per second).
✗ Vague answers like "the quality of the sound".
✗ Describing image resolution instead of sound sample resolution.
Practice the full AQA GCSE Computer Science Paper 2
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