Week 8 - Fiber Optics
Fiber Optics
Technology like video calls, streaming services, or rapid downloads is only possible due to this marvelous innovation, yet we seem to overlook its value.
Neither video calls, streaming services, nor rapid downloads were possible before with the help of copper wires. Now, there's a quicker solution—fiber optics. These are thin strands of glass or plastic that transmit information as pulses of light instead of electrical signals.
Stunning discoveries are made when concepts such as Total Internal Reflection in physics come into play. Let's say you shine light into the water, but only at a specific angle— it'll bounce back. Fiber optic cables, made with a core and cladding, cause light entering the core from an angle to bounce back, trapping it and guiding it along the fiber.
Online2Design.com/HowStuffWorks
While using the bonds of internal reflection, the signal may travel great distances with minimal loss of intensity in comparison to the loss seen in signals in electrical conductors. Besides, fiber optic cables use a pulse of light of different wavelengths that allows transmission of a large quantity of data at the same time, increasing the total bandwidth.
Currently, fiber optic systems enable everything from the internet you rely on to rapid data exchange within corporate networks. These systems are an incredible demonstration of how we harness light’s abilities to communicate and disseminate knowledge at phenomenal speeds.
References
Freudenrich, C., PhD, & Pollette, C. (2022, July 29). How fiber optics work. HowStuffWorks. https://computer.howstuffworks.com/fiber-optic.htm
How does fiber optics work? (2022, March 16). Explain That Stuff. https://www.explainthatstuff.com/fiberoptics.html
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