Meaning & use
transducer
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountabletechnical
A device that changes one form of energy or signal into another, such as sound into an electrical signal.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'a' or in the plural.
Patterns
- a transducer converts something into something
- an acoustic transducer
- a pressure transducer
A microphone is a transducer that converts sound waves into electrical signals.
The pressure transducer measures changes in air pressure.
Engineers installed a new transducer to improve the signal quality.
Word forms
| plural | transducers |
|---|
Common combinations
- acoustic transducer
- The acoustic transducer picked up the underwater sounds.
- pressure transducer
- A pressure transducer monitors the hydraulic system.
- ultrasonic transducer
- The ultrasonic transducer generates high-frequency sound waves.
- transducer output
- The transducer output is fed into the amplifier.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sensor
- A sensor detects a physical property, while a transducer actively converts energy from one form to another; many sensors include a transducer.
Word family
- transduce verb
- To convert energy or a signal from one form to another.
- transduction noun
- The process of converting energy or a signal.
Commonly confused: transducer or transistor?
transducer vs transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device for amplifying or switching signals, not for converting energy types.
Practice
Which of these is a transducer?
Choose one answer.
A microphone converts sound energy into electrical energy, so it is a transducer. A battery stores energy, a light bulb converts electricity to light (but is not typically called a transducer), and a resistor limits current.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “transducer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.