What does the term bandwidth refer to in electrical signals?

The term bandwidth refers to the frequency range over which a system operates. In the context of electrical signals, bandwidth defines the difference between the highest and lowest frequencies that a signal can effectively transmit or process. It is crucial for understanding how much information can be carried by a signal, as wider bandwidth allows for a greater amount of data to be transmitted simultaneously. This characteristic is particularly important in communications, where systems need to handle differing amounts of data efficiently.

For instance, in the realm of radio communications, a signal with a bandwidth that spans a wide range of frequencies can carry more audio or data channels compared to a narrower bandwidth signal. This concept also applies to various technologies such as internet connections, where higher bandwidth translates to faster data transfer rates.

The other choices relate to different characteristics of electrical signals but do not accurately capture the essence of what bandwidth signifies. Power usage pertains to how much energy a system consumes, which is not the same as how many frequencies it can handle. The duration of signal transmission addresses time, while resistance in a circuit focuses on opposition to current flow, neither of which define bandwidth.