What makes a speaker a microphone and does this mean that a microphone works as a speaker?
In: Technology
A microphone and a speaker are what’s called a “transducer”, which is something that converts energy from one form to another. Many transducers can work both ways.
In the case of a microphone the transducer is converting vibrations in the air (sound energy) to electrical signals in a wire (electrical energy). It works by focusing the sound waves to a smaller area using a cone, then using the focused sound waves to move a magnet inside a wire. A speaker is the exact same principle except it goes from a wire, to a magnet, to a cone.
The speakers inside headphones are actually not that dissimilar to a dynamic microphone. You can plug a microphone into a headphone socket and put your ear next to the end and hear music. You can also plug some headphones into a microphone input and shout into the earpiece and it will be picked up.
Latest Answers