A low-Q transducer is typically described as having

A low-Q transducer is typically described as having

• A. Narrow bandwidth
• B. Broad bandwidth
• C. Long duration pulses
• D. Low sensitivity

Answer: (B)

A transducer with a low Q factor doesn’t “prefer” a very narrow range of frequencies; it responds over a wide range. The Q factor measures how sharp the resonance is: high Q means a tight, narrow band and slow ringing; low Q means a broader range of frequencies and quicker energy decay. So a low-Q transducer has broad bandwidth, meaning it can transmit and receive a wider spectrum of frequencies. This also makes the pulses shorter in time, which helps with better axial resolution. The other descriptions don’t fit because a narrow bandwidth corresponds to high Q, long duration pulses come from strong ringing (also high Q), and low sensitivity isn’t a direct consequence of low Q.

A transducer with a low Q factor doesn’t “prefer” a very narrow range of frequencies; it responds over a wide range. The Q factor measures how sharp the resonance is: high Q means a tight, narrow band and slow ringing; low Q means a broader range of frequencies and quicker energy decay. So a low-Q transducer has broad bandwidth, meaning it can transmit and receive a wider spectrum of frequencies. This also makes the pulses shorter in time, which helps with better axial resolution. The other descriptions don’t fit because a narrow bandwidth corresponds to high Q, long duration pulses come from strong ringing (also high Q), and low sensitivity isn’t a direct consequence of low Q.