Communication Systems
How communication technology works
How Communication Works
Communication systems send messages from one place to another. They have: a sender, a message, a channel (how it travels) and a receiver. Technology has changed communication from smoke signals and drums to telephones, radio, TV and the internet.
Example
Communication Then and Now
Past: Drums, smoke signals, messengers on horseback, letters
Present: Telephone, radio, television, email, WhatsApp, internet
All these have: Sender → Message → Channel → Receiver
WhatsApp: You (sender) → text (message) → internet (channel) → friend (receiver)
Note
Remember
Modern communication uses electrical signals (phone wires), radio waves (Wi-Fi, cellular) or light (fibre optic cables). South Africa has widespread cell phone coverage, making mobile communication accessible to most people.
Key Vocabulary
CommunicationSending and receiving messages or information
SignalA sign or message sent from one place to another
ChannelThe path or medium a message travels through
ReceiverThe person or device that gets the message
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Communication
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