Fourier analysis in science definition and examples

Imagine you have a complex signal, like the sound of a musical instrument or the pattern of brain activity. How can you break it down into its fundamental components? That's where Fourier analysis comes in. Named after the French mathematician Joseph Fourier, this technique allows us to decompose any periodic function into a sum of simple sine and cosine waves. It's like unraveling the intricate threads of a tapestry to understand its underlying structure.