Which statement describes the effect of increasing distance on attenuation?

• A. Attenuation increases with distance
• B. Attenuation decreases with distance
• C. Attenuation is unaffected
• D. Attenuation fluctuates randomly

Answer: (A)

Attenuation is the loss of signal power as it travels through a medium or channel. The longer the path, the more energy is absorbed, scattered, or spread out, so the total attenuation accumulates with distance. In wired links, this is often given as a loss per unit length and is simply multiplied by distance to find the overall loss. In wireless, the signal weakens with distance due to spreading and environmental effects, described by propagation models like free-space path loss. Because these effects accumulate as distance increases, attenuation rises as distance grows.