What device converts physical signals into electrical or electronic signals?

The device that converts physical signals into electrical or electronic signals is indeed a sensor. Sensors are designed to detect changes in the environment and translate those changes—such as temperature, pressure, light, or motion—into electrical signals that can be measured and processed.

This conversion process is essential in various applications, such as automation, monitoring systems, and data acquisition, where understanding physical phenomena in terms of electrical signals is necessary for further analysis or action.

In contrast, a transmitter typically takes these electrical signals and broadcasts them, an amplifier boosts the strength of the electrical signals, and a processor manipulates the data represented by these signals but does not convert physical signals into electrical form itself. Thus, the role of a sensor is critical and distinct in the context of converting physical phenomena into a format that electronic systems can understand and use.