Amplitude modulation (AM) is a modulation technique used for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. In AM, the amplitude of the carrier wave is varied in proportion to the waveform being transmitted, such as sounds or television pixels. AM has a wider coverage area than FM due to atmospheric propagation. It also allows for long distance propagation because of its wavelength. However, AM signals are not as strong as FM when propagating to obstacles, and only one sideband of the AM signal transmits information, losing power in the other sideband and carrier. Additionally, noise mixes with the AM signal through propagation, making it more difficult to recover the original signal at the receiver. AM is used in radio frequency transmissions.