Question

In a fiber-optic cable, what determines the maximum speed of the data pulses the cable can handle?

Group of answer choices

Absorption

Attenuation

Bandwidth

Cladding

Answer 1

The maximum speed of the data pulses that a fiber-optic cable can handle is primarily determined by **bandwidth**.

Bandwidth refers to the capacity of the fiber-optic cable to carry data, which is influenced by the technology used, the wavelength of light, and the physical properties of the fiber itself. Higher bandwidth allows more data to be transmitted at faster rates.

While absorption, attenuation, and cladding are important factors in fiber optics, they affect signal quality and transmission distance rather than the speed of data pulses directly:

- **Absorption** refers to the loss of signal strength as light travels through the fiber due to material impurities.
- **Attenuation** is the reduction of signal strength that can occur over distance.
- **Cladding** is the layer surrounding the core that helps confine light within the core, but it does not directly determine the pulse speed.

Therefore, the correct answer is **Bandwidth**.