Fiber Optics

Which of the following statements best explains why fiber optic cable is preferred over copper wire in telephone and
Internet applications?

A. Fiber optic cable can be used both indoors and outdoors.

B. Fiber optic cable is more flexible and needs no power source.
C. Fiber optic cable is easier to manufacture and install into office buildings.
D. Fiber optic cable is less sensitive to temperature and electromagnetic interference.

The illustration below shows a person operating a light signal.

Light signals were once commonly used by ships for communication. By rapidly opening and closing the horizontal
shutters in front of the light source, a person could send a coded message. This form of communication uses discrete
signals.

Which of the following modern technologies also uses discrete signals?

A. fiber optics
B. film cameras
C. record players
D. sound speakers
Many communication systems use fiberoptic technology instead of copper wire. Which of the following statements
describes an advantage of using fiber optics instead of copper wire for communications applications?

A. Fiber optics have a lower initial cost.

B. Fiber optics have a higher power rating.
Fiber optics do not require expensive electric conductors to complete a communication
C.
system.
Fiber optics provide greater bandwidth and can transmit more information along a similar-
D.
sized cable.

The diagram below represents a section of fiberoptic cable used in a communication network.

Which of the following allows fiberoptic cables to transmit data?

A. total bending of light

B. total dispersion of light
C. total internal reflection
D. total internal refraction

Under which of the following conditions would fiber optics most likely be preferred over radio waves for
communication?

A. The climate of the area is hot and humid.

B. There are frequent power outages in the area.
C. The content of the communication needs to remain secure.
D. There is little money available to build the communication system.
Which of the following best describes the functions of the receiver and decoder in a communication system that uses
fiberoptic cables to transmit data?

A. to receive the light signal and convert it to binary data

B. to receive the sound signal and convert it to binary data
C. to receive the audio signal and convert it to analog data
D. to receive the direct signal and convert it to analog data

Digital telecommunication systems allow for reliable transmission of voice, data, and video signals. Which of the
following statements describes the process of data transmission in a digital communication system?

A. Sound signals use alternating frequencies to transmit continuously.

B. Sound signals use binary vibrations that are transmitted wirelessly.
C. Electrical signals are converted to x-rays and transmitted to a receiver.
D. Electrical signals are converted to binary code and transmitted to a decoder.

Which of the following would increase the amount of information that can be transmitted by a fiberoptic cable?

A. increasing the length of the cable

B. increasing the number of fibers in the cable
C. using fewer optical amplifiers along the cable
D. using plastic instead of glass in the cable

Which of the following technologies has increased the efficiency of telecommunications systems such as television,
telephone, and high-speed Internet?

A. DVD burners
B. MP3 players
C. electrical wires
D. fiber optics
The two most common media through which voice and data transmissions are carried are copper cable and
fiberoptic cable. Which of the following statements describes the type of signals carried by each cable?

A. Copper cable carries electrical signals; fiberoptic cable carries light signals.
B. Copper cable carries electrical signals; fiberoptic cable carries sound signals.
C. Copper cable carries transport signals; fiberoptic cable carries electrical signals.
D. Copper cable carries modulation signals; fiberoptic cable carries electrical signals.

Which of the following statements describes an advantage of total internal reflection within an optical fiber?

A. It converts electrical signals into optical signals.

B. It converts optical signals into electrical signals.
C. It allows optical signals to be transmitted along a curved path.
D. It allows electrical signals to be transmitted along a curved path.

Which of the following statements best describes how fiber optics is used to transmit information?

A. Pulses of light are used to transmit digital information.

B. Pulses of electricity are used to transmit digital information.
C. Varying light frequencies are used to transmit analog information.
D. Varying radio frequencies are used to transmit analog information.

Fiberoptic cables have not yet replaced copper wire cables as the most common means of Internet connection.
Which of the following statements explains why copper wires are still used by many people to connect to the
Internet?

A. Fiberoptic cable networks are expensive to install.

B. Fiberoptic cables are susceptible to electromagnetic interference.
C. Fiberoptic signals cannot travel as far as copper wire signals without significant signal loss.
Fiberoptic signals travel more slowly than copper wire signals because of greater
D.
bandwidth.
Which of the following diagrams best represents the path of a light signal inside the core of a fiberoptic cable?

A.
B.
C.
D.

Telephone circuits were originally made of copper. Which of the following has replaced much of the copper
circuitry that connected telephone switching stations over long distances?

A. fiberoptic cables
B. reinforced plastics
C. superconductors
D. tungsten wires

OPEN RESPONSE:

A student looking into the front of a glass aquarium filled with water notices that she cannot see through the right or
left sides of the aquarium. She investigates this observation by aiming a laser pointer at the front of the aquarium
and observing the path of the light. Her results are shown in the diagram below.

1. Describe what happens to the light that strikes the front glass panel of the aquarium and the light that
strikes the right glass panel of the aquarium.
2. Describe in detail how the behavior of light in the student’s investigation relates to fiber optic data
transmission.