What describes the effect of passive components on signal transmission?

The effect of passive components on signal transmission is accurately described by the ability to cause linear distortion. Passive components, such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors, do not amplify signals; instead, they can introduce changes to the waveform as the signal passes through them. This distortion can occur when passive components alter characteristics like amplitude, phase, or frequency response, which may lead to a linear relationship between input and output signals but still result in some changes that do not preserve the original signal's shape perfectly.

While passive components can serve various functions, they do not enhance signal clarity or maintain signal amplitude inherently. Instead, they can filter out unwanted frequencies, but this action specifically targets certain components of the signal rather than addressing the overall integrity of the signal itself in terms of distortion. Thus, the impact of passive components on signal transmission is best summarized by their potential to introduce linear distortion.