What are the two primary types of fiber optic cables?

The two primary types of fiber optic cables are single-mode and multi-mode.

Single-mode fiber optic cables are designed to carry light directly down the fiber, which allows for longer transmission distances. This type of cable has a very small core size (approximately 8 to 10 microns in diameter), which minimizes modal dispersion and enables the transmission of data over long distances with high bandwidth capabilities. Single-mode is often used in applications that require high-speed data transmission over long distances, such as telecommunications and internet backbones.

On the other hand, multi-mode fiber optic cables have a larger core size (typically 50 to 62.5 microns), allowing multiple light modes to travel down the fiber. This characteristic makes multi-mode fiber well-suited for shorter distances. It is often used in local area networks (LANs) and data centers where data transmission occurs over shorter distances, as the modal dispersion is higher, leading to limitations on bandwidth and distance compared to single-mode fibers.

Other options do not represent the primary types of fiber optic cables; coaxial and twisted pair cables are categorized under copper cable transmission mediums, while the mention of shielded cables relates to a classification of electromagnetic interference protection in non-fiber optic contexts.