How do fibre optics transmit light?

Question

This is one of the questions for a science assignment and I really can't find an answer. I have found many websites explaining about fibre optics but they are too hard to understand. I would appreciate if anyone can help answer me this question in simplest form. Thank you!

Answer 1

The same way that windows transmit light.

Think of the fiber optics cable as a teeny weeny window that is really really thick, made out of very high quality glass. Simple so far?

My daughter adds that the light follows the optic cable around bends because "the light is trapped in it". Actually pretty accurate. This is because the width or diameter is so small that the nearly flat angle of incidence makes the boundary act like a mirror, 'trapping' the light until it reaches the other end. (Demonstration: Look at a surface of water from a very shallow angle and it becomes a mirror!)

Answer 2

After some searching, this seems like a pretty simple and easy to understand answer to your question.
Fiber optics are strands of pure glass that are as thin as human hair. These strands of glass carry digital information over long distances and are used in all sorts of activities, most commonly telephone calls and cable TV transmissions. Fiber optics also transmit light signals through the strand. This light travels through the core of the fiber optic bundle with a principle called “total internal reflection.” This brief article will discuss total internal reflection and hopefully shed some illumination on the concept of fiber optics light.

The Basics Of Total Internal Reflection

Total internal reflection is known as an “optical phenomenon.” It occurs when light is bent (or refracted) at a boundary enough to send it backwards, which ends up reflecting all of the light, hence the name. Optical fibers operate based entirely on this principle, as do mirages. A mirage is an optical phenomenon in which light refracts or bends to such a great degree that a displaced image is visible in the distance. A mirage is comparable to a mirror, as is the general effect of total internal reflection.

Answer 3

Ok, thi is slighlty complicated, but here goes:

There's this little thing called "total internal reflection". What it means is that if you pass a beam of lgiht through something like glass at the right angle (anything greater than the "critical angle", which hanges according to hte glass you're using), then it will reflect off the glass and come back out the way it went in. Optic fibres use this. So essentialyl waht happens is that the light bounces between the two sides until it hits the other end.

Answer 4

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/awo89

Glass fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss, and they are immune to electromagnetic interference. Optical fibers are also used to form sensors, and in a variety of other applications. Light is kept in the "core" of the optical fiber by total internal reflection. This causes the fiber to act as a waveguide. Fibers which support many propagation paths or transverse modes are called multimode fibers (MMF). Fibers which support only a single mode are called singlemode fibers (SMF). Multimode fibers generally have a large-diameter core, and are used for short-distance communication links or for applications where high power must be transmitted. Singlemode fibers are used for most communication links longer than 200 meters.

Answer 5

Optical fibres are made such that light bending exceeds the critical angle and when the light benging exceeds the critical angle all the light is reflected internally. Remember not even a ray is refracted or absorbed , making whole of light pass through by reflecting in a zig zag manner.

Answer 6

Optical fibers are made of glass. There is something called the core of the fiber and it is surrounded by something called the cladding. The index of refraction of the circular core and the surrounding cladding are slightly different. The differences in the indices of the materials causes light to be guided within the circular core. This is called a waveguide and the light is index guided in the core of the fiber. The ray tracing model i.e total internal reflection idea is really an incomplete idea of light transmission in a fiber. This idea is not valid for single mode fiber but is somewhat more applicable to multi-mode fiber. The waveguide model is a better description of light transmission in an optical fiber.

Btw, the above description by Bob is not quite correct.

Answer 7

due to total internal reflection, the light in optical fibers is confined to the core. Light travels through the fiber core, bouncing back and forth off the boundary between the core and cladding. Thus the transmission of light is done in optical fiber

Answer 8

You shine light through a clear tube. Make sure it's not metallic. Do your own homework.

Answer 9

This should tell you all you need to know! :-D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_optics

Answer 10

IT'S IN THE FIBERS!