What is Morse code?

• A. A system of dots and dashes assigned to English alphabets and numbers that represent specific things and that are sent through electrical signals
• B. A method for voice transmission over telephone networks
• C. A type of wireless signal using audio tones
• D. A system used for television encoding

Answer: (A)

Morse code works by turning letters and numbers into patterns of short and long signals. A dot represents a short signal and a dash a longer one, and each character has its own unique sequence. Those sequences can be sent as electrical pulses over a wire, or as light flashes, or as sound beams, and the recipient decodes them by recognizing the dot-dash pattern and the spaces between signals. This system was created for telegraphy in the 1830s–40s to enable long-distance communication before voice became common. It isn’t about transmitting voice itself, nor is it simply a type of wireless signal defined by tones, nor a method for encoding television. It’s specifically the encoding of characters into dot-dash sequences for transmission and decoding.