Filter selectivity — does the steepness of attenuation beyond cutoff depend on the filter’s roll-off rating (order and design)?

Introduction / Context:
Filter “effectiveness” in rejecting out-of-band signals is often summarized by its roll-off, commonly expressed as dB/decade or dB/octave. Understanding how order and topology affect this slope is crucial when choosing or designing filters for anti-aliasing, noise reduction, and communication channel shaping.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Linear time-invariant filters (active or passive), low-pass or high-pass for simplicity.
• Cutoff defined at the standard −3 dB point for Butterworth-like responses.
• Roll-off per pole = 20 dB/decade (≈ 6 dB/octave), accumulating with order.

Concept / Approach:
A first-order filter provides 20 dB/decade attenuation slope beyond cutoff. Each additional pole adds another 20 dB/decade, so a second-order filter gives 40 dB/decade, third-order 60 dB/decade, and so on. Different prototypes (Butterworth, Chebyshev, Bessel, elliptic) trade passband ripple, phase linearity, and skirt steepness but the fundamental link between order and out-of-band attenuation remains: higher order → steeper roll-off → better rejection for a given transition width.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Bode plots from design tools confirm that increasing the order steepens the slope; measured responses match within component tolerance and op-amp bandwidth limits.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:
Ignoring op-amp GBW and slew-rate limits that flatten real-world roll-off; overlooking component tolerances that introduce ripple or frequency shifts; underestimating transition-band requirements.

Final Answer:
Correct