Editing Path loss (section)

{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{Short description|Signal attenuation in telecommunications}}
'''Path loss''', or '''path attenuation''', is the reduction in power density ([[attenuation (electromagnetic radiation)|attenuation]]) of an [[electromagnetic wave]] as it propagates through space.<ref>{{Citation |last=Sari |first=Arif |title=Chapter 13 - Path Loss Algorithms for Data Resilience in Wireless Body Area Networks for Healthcare Framework |date=2018-01-01 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128113738000136 |work=Security and Resilience in Intelligent Data-Centric Systems and Communication Networks |pages=303 |editor-last=Ficco |editor-first=Massimo |access-date=2023-06-03 |series=Intelligent Data-Centric Systems |publisher=Academic Press |language=en |isbn=978-0-12-811373-8 |last2=Alzubi |first2=Ahmed |editor2-last=Palmieri |editor2-first=Francesco}}</ref> Path loss is a major component in the analysis and design of the [[link budget]] of a telecommunication system.

This term is commonly used in [[wireless communications]] and [[signal propagation]]. Path loss may be due to many effects, such as [[free-space loss]], [[refraction]], [[diffraction]], [[Reflection (physics)|reflection]], [[aperture (antenna)|aperture]]-[[Transmission medium|medium]] [[coupling loss]], and [[Absorption (electromagnetic radiation)|absorption]]. Path loss is also influenced by terrain contours,  environment (urban or rural, vegetation and foliage), propagation medium (dry or moist air), the distance between the transmitter and the receiver, and the height and location of antennas.