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It’s Time You Learn about Fiber Optics & Formulas
For the better part of the American population fiber optics is a
mystery to them. However, the fiber optics & formulas it pertains
are actually part of a not-so-complicated branch of Applied Science.
School yourself about fiber optics, added knowledge isn’t a wasted
experience, and anyone can always afford to have additional
awareness. Don’t be distraught by all the terms encountered, on the
other hand. Applied Science isn’t as frightening as it seems. It is
in fact quite easy, as long as you follow this discussion of fiber
optics & formulas in every detail.
So here goes:
What is Fiber Optics? It is a branch of Applied Science and
Engineering, the former being a practical science of applying facts
from other natural scientific incident to another practical
problems. In our case, the incident is how light can travel through
the entire length of a glass tube, provided that it meets a certain
criteria: there shouldn’t be so much impurities in the glass as to
decrease, absorb, or reflect the relay of light.
This light relaying property is called Refractive Index, or Index of
Refraction. It is the ability of the substance to reflect the light
within the confines of its body, thus traveling through its entire
length. So, illustratively, if you introduce a light source on one
end of the fiber optic thread, the light travels along its entire
body (illuminating the material by doing so) and dispersing the
light at the opposite end –strongly.
Take for instance this picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fiber_optic_bundle.jpg
You see, the hidden end should have the light source, thus allowing
the light to travel along its entire length. Notice how the light
somewhat “dimmed” at the point where it was slightly bending? You
should also notice that the hand was clearly illuminated. This is
the dispersion of the light onto the hand, a phenomenon of light
escaping onto the sides by the bending of the optical fibers. Now
imagine if these fibers are coated with a material with lower Index
of Refraction? There will be no light spilt, and the light carried
onto the opposite end will be fuller and stronger. Why? Because
being coated with a low refractive index material and with the fiber
having a high refractive index the light is “contained”, even if the
wires are bent.
So therefore, we know that the Index of Refraction plays an integral
part in the transmission of light along the entire fiber. Thus for
the fiber optics & formula:
RI of the medium = [186 x 10-3 ÷Speed of light in medium]
Where:
RI is the Refractive Index
186 x 10-3 is the speed of light in optimal (vacuum) conditions
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