An amplitude modulated (AM) radio wave bends noticeably around the corners of a 1 m 1 m board, whereas a frequency modulated (FM) wave bends only negligibly. Given that the average wavelengths for the AM and FM waves are _a and _f respectively, which of the following is true?

Step-by-step solution

For diffraction (bending of waves around corners) to be noticeable, the wavelength of the wave must be comparable to or greater than the size of the obstacle. Since the AM wave bends noticeably around the 1 m 1 m board, its wavelength _a must be comparable to or greater than 1 m . Since the FM wave bends negligibly, its wavelength _f must be smaller than the dimensions of the board. Therefore, _a > _f . This is also consistent with typical radio frequencies, where AM operates around 1 MHz ( _a 300 m ) and FM operat