I remember someone telling me long ago that if a voltage step is sent down a transmission line, the step will become smeared as it travels down the line, and the rise time will become degraded. I'm not referring to degradation caused by signal reflections, but rather some other limit on \$dv/dt\$ imposed by the transmission line that increases with length, regardless of the termination.

Is there such an effect? What's it called, and what causes it?

I remember someone telling me long ago that if a voltage step is sent down a transmission line, the step will become smeared as it travels down the line, and the rise time will become degraded. I'm not referring to degradation caused by signal reflections, but rather some other limit on \$dv/dt\$ imposed by the transmission line that increases with length, regardless of the termination.

Is there such an effect? What's it called, and what causes it in practical transmission lines?