NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The information in this document was accurate as of the original publication date.

Audience: Educators
Grades: 3-5


Students are introduced to the terms "signal" and "noise" in the context of spacecraft communication. They explore these concepts by listening to a computer-generated signal from two different distances with no additional background noise, and then with background noise. They compare their experiences in a science journal page.

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Understand the terms "signal" and "noise" in the context of spacecraft communications.
• Compare the apparent volume of a signal at different distances from the source.
• Compare the apparent volume of a signal at different distances from the source with the addition of background noise.

Signals and Noise, Oh Boy!  [827KB PDF file]

See also:
Earth Calling...
Signals and Noise Ratio