what is snr

SNR stands for Signal-to-Noise Ratio, which is a measure used in science and engineering to compare the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. It is defined as the ratio of signal power to noise power, often expressed in decibels (dB) . SNR is an important parameter that affects the performance and quality of systems that process or transmit signals, such as communication systems, audio systems, radar systems, imaging systems, and data acquisition systems. A high SNR means that the signal is clear and easy to detect or interpret, while a low SNR means that the signal is corrupted or obscured by noise and may be difficult to distinguish or recover. SNR can be calculated using different formulas depending on how the signal and noise are measured and defined. The most common way to express SNR is in decibels, which is a logarithmic scale that makes it easier to compare large or small values.