Red Seal Electrician Practice
Signalling and communicationQuestion 48 of 1506

A fibre is bent around a very small radius during installation. What problem can result?

  1. Microbending lets light escape from the core, which weakens the signal
  2. Pulse stretching that cannot be fixed, which turns the signal into noise
  3. The fibre starts to conduct electric current along its glass core
  4. The cladding melts at the bend and the fibre fuses into a solid rod
Show answer

Correct answer: Microbending lets light escape from the core, which weakens the signal

Lost light reduces signal strength. A sensor on the bend could also intercept the data.

Source: Lessons in Electric Circuits IV: Digital (Kuphaldt), 14.5: Optical Data Communication

Practice signalling and communication

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026