A fiber optic cable uses total internal reflection. What is the role of the clad
Practice Questions
Q1
A fiber optic cable uses total internal reflection. What is the role of the cladding in this context?
To increase the speed of light.
To provide structural support.
To ensure light remains within the core.
To change the wavelength of light.
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A fiber optic cable uses total internal reflection. What is the role of the cladding in this context?
Step 1: Understand that a fiber optic cable has two main parts: the core and the cladding.
Step 2: The core is the central part where light travels.
Step 3: The cladding surrounds the core and has a different material.
Step 4: The cladding has a lower refractive index than the core, which means it bends light less.
Step 5: When light travels from the core to the cladding, it hits the boundary at a certain angle.
Step 6: If the angle is steep enough, the light reflects back into the core instead of passing into the cladding.
Step 7: This reflection is called total internal reflection, and it keeps the light inside the core.
Step 8: The role of the cladding is to ensure that light stays in the core by having a lower refractive index.
Total Internal Reflection – The phenomenon where light is completely reflected within a medium when it hits the boundary at a certain angle, due to a higher refractive index in the medium compared to the surrounding material.
Refractive Index – A measure of how much light bends when entering a material; the cladding must have a lower refractive index than the core to facilitate total internal reflection.
Cladding Role – The cladding surrounds the core of the fiber optic cable and is crucial for maintaining the light signal within the core through total internal reflection.
