Final answer:
Digital networks can transmit different types of data because any form of information can be represented by strings of binary digits or bits. This digital data can then be processed and transmitted using electronic components like transistors and integrated circuits, which work with the binary system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason why digital networks can transmit different types of data such as cell phone conversations and television voice and video images is that every data type can be represented by strings of bits. In the context of digital networks, a bit is a binary digit, which is the smallest unit of data and can have a value of either 0 or 1. Data encoding into digital form involves translating any form of information into a binary format. Examples of this include sound waves from a conversation being converted into strings of bits for cellphone transmissions or video images being turned into digital signals for television broadcasting.
Analog signals, which vary continuously, are often the natural form of real-world data, like the intensity of sound and visual images. Analog-to-digital conversion processes transform these signals into binary code for electronic processing, transmission, and data manipulation. This conversion is possible because of electronic components such as transistors and integrated circuits. A transistor in a digital circuit acts like an on-off switch, corresponding to the binary digits 1 and 0, to process and transmit the digital signals.
Finally, the use of binary systems simplifies the transmission of data over electromagnetic waves, which can carry communication signals through various means, such as AM (amplitude modulation), FM (frequency modulation), or digital modulations that represent bits.