In-phase and quadrature components

When we talk about signals, we often think of them as waves. Think about a wave in the ocean that you can see. This wave has different parts to it – the part that goes up and down, and the part that moves forward and backward.

Now, imagine that instead of a wave in the ocean, we have a signal that is made up of waves. This signal can also be broken down into two different parts – the part that goes up and down, and the part that moves forward and backward.

These two parts are called the in-phase component and the quadrature component. The in-phase component is the part of the signal that goes up and down, just like the wave in the ocean. The quadrature component is the part of the signal that moves forward and backward, perpendicular to the in-phase component.

To understand this better, imagine yourself standing on a seesaw with a friend. If you both move up and down in synchronization, that is the in-phase component. However, if one of you moves forward while the other moves backward, that is the quadrature component.

So, in summary, when we talk about in-phase and quadrature components in signals, we are referring to the two different parts of the signal that go in different directions – one up and down (in-phase), and one forward and backward (quadrature).