What term describes the total width of the range of frequencies that an electronic signal uses on a given transmission medium?

The term that describes the total width of the range of frequencies that an electronic signal uses on a given transmission medium is bandwidth. Bandwidth is a crucial concept in networking and telecommunications, as it defines the capacity of a communication channel to transmit information over a specific period. Essentially, it indicates how much data can be transmitted within that frequency range, impacting the performance and speed of data transmission.

In contrast, data rate refers to the amount of data that can be transmitted in a specific period, typically represented in bits per second (bps), but it does not directly describe the frequency range itself. Frequency denotes the number of cycles per second of a wave, often measured in Hertz (Hz), but it does not encapsulate the width encompassed by those frequencies. Throughput reflects the actual rate at which data is successfully transmitted over the channel, which can vary based on several factors, including network conditions, rather than indicating the frequency range available for the signal. Understanding these distinctions highlights why bandwidth is the correct term in this context.