Question

In fiber optics, the signal is _______ waves.

Answer 1

Explanation of Total Internal Reflection:

1. In total internal reflection, the light rays travelling from a more optically denser medium to a less optically denser medium are incident at an angle greater than the critical angle for the two media.
2. In this case, the ray totally reflects into the medium, obeying the laws of reflection.
3. The formula for total internal reflection

$\sin {\theta }_c=\frac{n_1}{n_2}$

where ${\theta }_c$ is the critical angle for total internal reflection,

$n_1$ and $n_2$ are the refractive indices of the two media.

Conditions of Total Internal Reflection:

1. The angle of incidence must be greater than the critical angle.
2. The light ray moves from a more dense medium to a less dense medium.

Optical Fiber

1. An optical fiber is made up of an inner core that is made of glass.
2. A glass cladding surrounds the inner glass core.
3. The glass cladding has a lower refractive index than the inner glass core.
4. Light waves are transmitted into the optical fiber.
5. These light waves are trapped in the glass core through repeated total internal reflection.
6. In this way, light is transmitted to the other side of the fiber.

Hence, in fiber optics, the signal is light waves.