Fourier Transform

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Laplace Transform
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Used in digital signals

Used in analogue signals

Fourier is a subset of Laplace

Laplace is more general

Fourier is used primarily for steady state signal analysis

Laplace is used for transient signal analysis

Fourier is good for continuous signals.

Laplace is good at looking for the response to pulses, step functions, delta functions

FT is used for frequency domain analysis

LT is used when time- domain responses are important

Fourier maps a function to a new function on the real line

Laplace transforms map a function to a new function on the complex plane

Fourier Transform does a complex transformation on real data

Laplace Transform does a real transformation on complex data

FT for frequency Analysis

LT for solving differential equations and thus for anything that is derived from diff equations

FT works only for those signals where dirichlets condition is satisfied the signal should have finite number of maxima and minima and it should have a finite number of discontinuities A sine wave has infinite number of maxima and minima

Laplace transform is used mainly for signals with transient components To obtain a spectral analysis using Laplace; essentially have to multiply a sine wave by a step (Heaviside) function

Fourier transforms properties

Laplace transforms properties