Eli5: What component in eletonics like cellphones and computers actually “receives” and “emits” wifi signals? What is wi-fi in terms of physics?

Question

Eli5: What component in eletonics like cellphones and computers actually “receives” and “emits” wifi signals? What is wi-fi in terms of physics?

In: Physics

Answer 1

All wireless technology needs an antenna of some type to transmit and receive signals.

WiFi is controlled fluctuations of the electromagnetic spectrum, radio waves, in the 2.5 and 5 ghz range. EM radiation is made of photons, massless particles, that travel at the speed of light.