What is a transmission example?

An example of transmission is influenza spreading from one person to another via respiratory droplets when an infected individual coughs nearby; more broadly, “transmission” means how something—like disease, data, power, mechanical force, or genes—moves from a source to a receiver. The term’s meaning varies by field, so context determines the most relevant example and mechanisms involved.

Public Health and Epidemiology

In infectious disease, transmission describes how a pathogen moves from an infected host or environment to a susceptible person. Understanding the route is key to prevention and control measures such as masking, ventilation, hygiene, and vaccination.

Concrete example

An infected person with seasonal flu exhales droplets and small particles while coughing on a bus; a nearby passenger inhales those particles and becomes infected within days—classic respiratory droplet and short-range aerosol transmission.

The list below outlines common modes of infectious disease transmission and illustrates each with a familiar scenario.

• Direct contact: Skin-to-skin spread of herpes simplex during a kiss.
• DROPLET/short-range aerosol: Flu or COVID-19 spread when talking, coughing, or sneezing at close range.
• Airborne (long-range): Measles virus remaining suspended and infecting someone who enters a room later.
• Fomite (contaminated surfaces): Norovirus picked up from a door handle and transferred to the mouth.
• Vector-borne: Malaria transmitted when an Anopheles mosquito bites a person.
• Vertical (mother-to-child): HIV or hepatitis B passed during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding without prophylaxis.

Matching the transmission route to targeted interventions—e.g., ventilation for airborne risks or insecticide-treated nets for malaria—dramatically improves control.

Vehicles and Mechanics

In engineering, a transmission is the system that conveys power from an engine or motor to the wheels or output shaft, adjusting torque and speed to match driving conditions.

Concrete example

A car’s 8‑speed automatic transmission shifts to a lower gear when climbing a hill, multiplying torque so the vehicle maintains speed without overloading the engine.

The following list summarizes widely used automotive transmission types and how they deliver power.

• Manual gearbox: Driver selects gears with a clutch pedal and shift lever.
• Automatic (torque converter): Uses hydraulic coupling and planetary gearsets to shift without a clutch pedal.
• Dual‑clutch transmission (DCT): Alternates between two clutches for rapid, efficient gear changes.
• Continuously variable transmission (CVT): Uses belts or chains and variable pulleys to provide seamless ratio changes.

Each design balances efficiency, performance, cost, and driving feel, with hybrids and EVs often using simplified gear reduction instead of multi‑speed gearboxes.

Telecommunications and Computing

In networking, transmission refers to sending data across a medium—copper wire, fiber optics, or radio waves—using protocols that package, route, and verify information end to end.

Concrete example

Streaming a video on a smartphone involves a 5G radio link transmitting packets to a cell tower, backhauled via fiber to a content delivery network, and delivered using TCP/IP with adaptive bitrate streaming.

Below are core ways data is transmitted and the technologies that enable reliable delivery.

• Wired media: Ethernet over copper; fiber optics for long‑haul, high‑capacity links.
• Wireless media: Wi‑Fi (e.g., 802.11ax/“Wi‑Fi 6/6E/7”), 4G LTE, and 5G NR for mobile broadband.
• Protocols: TCP/IP for reliable, ordered delivery; UDP for low‑latency streams like gaming.
• Modulation/encoding: QAM and OFDM/OFDMA to pack more bits into limited spectrum.

The medium, protocol, and modulation together determine throughput, latency, reliability, and coverage for each application.

Genetics and Heredity

In biology, transmission often means inheritance—the passing of genetic traits or variants from parents to offspring according to predictable patterns.

Concrete example

Color blindness can be transmitted in an X‑linked recessive pattern, where a mother who carries the variant may have sons who are affected and daughters who are typically carriers.

The next list outlines common inheritance patterns and their implications.

• Autosomal dominant: One altered copy (e.g., some forms of familial hypercholesterolemia) can cause the trait.
• Autosomal recessive: Two altered copies (e.g., cystic fibrosis) are required for the condition to manifest.
• X‑linked: Variants on the X chromosome affect sexes differently (e.g., hemophilia A).
• Mitochondrial: Variants passed from mother to all children via mitochondrial DNA.

Recognizing the transmission pattern informs genetic counseling, screening strategies, and risk assessments for families.

Energy and Power Systems

In electrical engineering, transmission means carrying bulk electricity over long distances at high voltages from generation sites to substations before local distribution.

Concrete example

A wind farm steps up voltage to 345 kV and transmits power over overhead lines to a regional substation, where transformers step it down for distribution to homes and businesses.

The components below show how grid transmission maintains efficiency and stability.

• Step‑up transformers: Raise generator output to high voltage to reduce line losses.
• HVAC/HVDC lines: Alternating or direct current lines sized for distance and capacity.
• Substations: Switchgear and transformers for routing, protection, and voltage conversion.
• Distribution networks: Lower‑voltage lines delivering power to end users.

High‑voltage transmission minimizes resistive losses, enabling reliable delivery from diverse energy sources to demand centers.

Choosing the Right Meaning

Because “transmission” spans multiple domains, specify the context—disease, automotive, telecom, genetics, or power systems—to get the most relevant example and explanation.

Summary

A transmission example depends on context: flu spreading via respiratory droplets, a car gearbox delivering torque, data packets moving over 5G or fiber, genes inherited across generations, or electricity sent over high‑voltage lines. Each domain uses “transmission” to describe how something is conveyed from origin to destination, and the mechanisms define how to control, optimize, or predict that flow.

What are the four types of transmissions?

4 Types of Transmissions

• Manual Transmission. This is a transmission system that is operated manually.
• Automatic Transmission. This transmission system is automatically operated.
• Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
• Dual-Clutch Transmission.

What is an example of transmission?

Transmission is the act of transferring something from one spot to another, like a radio or TV broadcast, or a disease going from one person to another.

What is a transmission?

A transmission is a vital car component that transmits power from the engine to the drive wheels, controlling vehicle speed and torque by using gears to change the ratio between the engine’s output and the wheels’ rotation. It allows the car to accelerate, climb hills, and maintain speed efficiently by providing the correct amount of engine power for different driving conditions. There are different types of transmissions, including manual transmissions, which the driver controls with a clutch pedal and gear shifter, and automatic transmissions, which use sensors and computers to shift gears automatically. 
How it works

• Gear Ratios: The transmission uses different gear ratios to manage power. 
  • Low gears: (e.g., when starting from a stop) provide more torque for better acceleration and climbing power, with higher engine speeds relative to the wheels. 
  • High gears: (e.g., for highway driving) provide less torque but allow for higher vehicle speeds at lower engine RPMs, improving fuel efficiency. 
• Manual vs. Automatic:
  • Manual Transmission: The driver uses a clutch pedal to disengage the engine from the transmission, then uses a gear shifter to select a new gear. 
  • Automatic Transmission: An on-board computer and sensors automatically select the appropriate gear and operate the clutch, providing a smoother driving experience. 

Why it’s important

• Optimal Power: Opens in new tabIt ensures the engine provides the right amount of power needed for the situation. 
• Fuel Efficiency: Opens in new tabBy allowing the engine to operate at its most efficient speed, it helps to reduce fuel consumption. 
• Smooth Driving: Opens in new tabThe transmission helps the vehicle accelerate and decelerate smoothly. 
• Vehicle Movement: Opens in new tabWithout a working transmission, the engine’s power cannot effectively reach the wheels, preventing the car from moving or driving at different speeds. 

What is a real life example of transmission?

A common real-life example of transmission is sunlight passing through a glass window, as the light travels through the glass and into a room. Other examples include radio waves traveling from a tower to a radio, a whisper transmitted through a wall, or a virus being transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one by physical contact. 
Wave Transmission

• Light: Opens in new tabLight from the sun transmits through the atmosphere, a glass window, or water, allowing us to see and providing natural light. 
• Sound: Opens in new tabA knock on a door transmits vibrations through the door, allowing the sound to be heard on the other side. 
• Radio Waves: Opens in new tabRadio signals are transmitted through the air from a broadcasting station to a receiving antenna, allowing you to listen to music or news. 

Disease Transmission 

• Pathogens: Viruses and bacteria can be transmitted from person to person through various means, such as a cold virus being spread by a sneeze, which is a form of transmission.

Mechanical and Electrical Transmission 

• Data: Opens in new tabFiber optic cables transmit light signals over long distances for internet and telephone services. 
• Energy: Opens in new tabIn some experiments, the energy of sea waves continues as they pass through a shallow area, showing a similar concept of wave energy being transmitted.