What characterizes a digital sound wave?

A digital sound wave is characterized by a normal squiggly line with steps, which reflects how sound is represented in a digital format. In digital audio, sound waves are sampled at discrete intervals, creating a waveform that appears as a series of abrupt changes or "steps." This representation captures the amplitude of the sound wave at each sample point, resulting in a non-continuous appearance when compared to an analog sound wave, which is smooth and continuous.

When sound is converted into a digital format, these steps occur because the continuous waveform is quantized into specific values that the digital system can process. This is a crucial aspect of digital audio technology, as it allows for effective sound storage, manipulation, and playback using digital devices. The underlying principles of sampling and quantization play a significant role in how digital sound waves are shaped and represented.