Explain the optical fiber working principle through total internal reflection.

Question

Accepted Answer

An optical fiber carries data as pulses of light through its core, which is surrounded by a layer called the cladding. According to the principle of total internal reflection, when light traveling through the denser core hits the boundary with the less dense cladding at a certain angle, it reflects entirely back into the core instead of passing through. This causes the light pulses to bounce along the interior of the core repeatedly, keeping the light moving within the fiber without leaking out, allowing data to travel with minimal loss over long distances.