Final answer:
Mobile phones convert speech from analog sound waves to digital signals during transmission, and then back to analog sound waves on reception using ADCs and DACs.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of cell phone technology, speech is a continuum of variances in acoustic pressure, which are perceived as analog sound waves. In wireless technology, the electronics inside a mobile phone converts these analog sound waves into digital impulses on the transmission side. On the reception side, the mobile phone converts these digital impulses back into analog sound waves, which we can hear.
The conversion process involves analog to digital converters (ADC) and digital to analog converters (DAC). On the transmission side, the ADC converts the continuous analog signal into a discrete digital signal, represented as binary ones and zeros. On the reception side, the DAC performs the opposite function, converting the digital signal back into an analog signal that can drive a speaker and produce sound waves that our ears can then interpret as speech or other sounds.