An
analog or
analogue signal is any
continuous signal for which the time varying feature (variable) of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. For example, in an analog
audio signal, the instantaneous
voltage of the signal varies continuously with the
pressure of the sound waves. It differs from a
digital signal, in which the continuous quantity is a representation of a sequence of
discrete values which can only take on one of a finite number of values. The term analog signal usually refers to
electrical signals; however,
mechanical,
pneumatic,
hydraulic, human speech, and other systems may also convey or be considered analog signals.