Transmission Media

* Transmission media lie below the physical layer.

* A guided medium provides a physical conduit from one device to another.
* Twisted-pair cable, coaxial cable, and optical fiber are the most popular types of guided
media.
* Twisted-pair cable consists of two insulated copper wires twisted together. Twisting allows
each wire to have approximately the same noise environment.
* Twisted-pair cable is used in telephone lines for voice and data communications.
* Coaxial cable has the following layers (starting from the center): a metallic rod-shaped inner
conductor, an insulator covering the rod, a metallic outer conductor (shield), an insulator
covering the shield, and a plastic cover.
* Coaxial cable can carry signals of higher frequency ranges than twisted-pair cable.
* Coaxial cable is used in cable TV networks and traditional Ethernet LANs.
* Fiber-optic cables are composed of a glass or plastic inner core surrounded by cladding, all
encased in an outside jacket.
* Fiber-optic cables carry data signals in the form of light. The signal is propagated along the
inner core by reflection.
* Fiber-optic transmission is becoming increasingly popular due to its noise resistance, low
attenuation, and high-bandwith capabilities.
* Signal propagation in optical fibers can be multimode (multiple beams from a light source)
or single-mode (essentially one beam from a light source).
* In multimode step-index propagation, the core density is constant and the light beam
changes direction suddenly at the interface between the core and the cladding.
* In multimode graded-index propagation, the core density decreases with distance from the
center. This causes a curving of the light beams.
* Fiber-optic cable is used in backbone networks, cable TV networks, and Fast Ethernet
networks.
* Unguided media (usually air) transport electromagnetic waves without the use of a physical
conductor.
* Wireless data is transmitted through ground propagation, sky propagation, and line-of-sight
propagation.
* Wireless data can be classifed as radio waves, microwaves, or infrared waves.
* Radio waves are omnidirectional. The radio wave band is under government regulation.
* Microwaves are unidirectional; propagation is line of sight. Microwaves are used for cellular
phone, satellite, and wireless LAN communications.
* The parabolic dish antenna and the horn antenna are used for transmission and reception of
microwaves.
* Infrared waves are used for short-range communications such as those between a PC and a
peripheral device.

Please answer all questions.

Transmission media are usually categorized as _______.

1
fixed or unfixed
A)
guided or unguided
B)
determinate or indeterminate
C)
metallic or nonmetallic
D)

2 Transmission media lie below the _______ layer.

 physical
A)
network
B)
transport
C)
application
D)

3 _______ cable consists of an inner copper core and a second conducting outer
sheath.
Twisted-pair
A)
Coaxial
B)
Fiber-optic
C)
Shielded twisted-pair
D)

4 In fiber optics, the signal is _______ waves.

light
A)
radio
B)
infrared
C)
very low-frequency
D)

Which of the following primarily uses guided media?

5
cellular telephone system
A)
local telephone system
B)
satellite communications
C)
radio broadcasting
D)

6 Which of the following is not a guided medium?

twisted-pair cable
A)
coaxial cable
B)
fiber-optic cable
C)
atmosphere
D)

What is the major factor that makes coaxial cable less susceptible to noise than
7 twisted-pair cable?
inner conductor
A)
 diameter of cable
B)
outer conductor
C)
insulating material
D)

8 In an optical fiber, the inner core is _______ the cladding.

denser than
A)
less dense than
B)
the same density as
C)
another name for
D)

The inner core of an optical fiber is _______ in composition.

9
glass or plastic
A)
copper
B)
bimetallic
C)
liquid
D)

10 When a beam of light travels through media of two different densities, if the angle
of incidence is greater than the critical angle, _______ occurs.
reflection
A)
refraction
B)
incidence
C)
criticism
D)

11 When the angle of incidence is _______ the critical angle, the light beam bends
along the interface.
more than
A)
less than
B)
equal to
C)
none of the above
D)

12 Signals with a frequency below 2 MHz use _______ propagation.

ground
A)
sky
B)
 line-of-sight
C)
none of the above
D)

13 Signals with a frequency between 2 MHz and 30 MHz use ______ propagation.

ground
A)
sky
B)
line-of-sight
C)
none of the above
D)

Signals with a frequency above 30 MHz use _______propagation.

14
ground
A)
sky
B)
line-of-sight
C)
none of the above
D)

15 A parabolic dish antenna is a(n) _______ antenna.

omnidirectional
A)
bidirectional
B)
unidirectional
C)
horn
D)

A(n) _____ medium provides a physical conduit from one device to another.
16
guided
A)
unguided
B)
either (a) or (b)
C)
none of the above
D)

17 ________ cable consists of two insulated copper wires twisted together.

Coaxial
A)
Fiber-optic
B)
Twisted-pair
C)
none of the above
D)
18 _______ cable is used for voice and data communications.

Coaxial
A)
Fiber-optic
B)
Twisted-pair
C)
none of the above
D)

__________ consists of a central conductor and a shield.

19
Coaxial
A)
Fiber-optic
B)
Twisted-pair
C)
none of the above
D)

20 _____ cable can carry signals of higher frequency ranges than _____ cable.

Twisted-pair; fiber-optic
A)
Coaxial; fiber-optic
B)
Coaxial; twisted-pair
C)
none of the above
D)

______ cables are composed of a glass or plastic inner core surrounded by

21 cladding, all encased in an outside jacket.
Coaxial
A)
Fiber-optic
B)
Twisted-pair
C)
none of the above
D)

______ cables carry data signals in the form of light.

22
Coaxial
A)
Fiber-optic
B)
Twisted-pair
C)
none of the above
D)

23 In a fiber-optic cable, the signal is propagated along the inner core by _______.
 reflection
A)
refraction
B)
modulation
C)
none of the above
D)

24 _________ media transport electromagnetic waves without the use of a physical

conductor.
Guided
A)
Unguided
B)
Either (a) or (b)
C)
None of the above
D)

25 Radio waves are _________.

omnidirectional
A)
unidirectional
B)
bidirectional
C)
none of the above
D)

Microwaves are _________.

26
omnidirectional
A)
unidirectional
B)
bidirectional
C)
none of the above
D)

27 _______ are used for cellular phone, satellite, and wireless LAN communications.

Radio waves
A)
Microwaves
B)
Infrared waves
C)
none of the above
D)

________ are used for short-range communications such as those between a PC

28 and a peripheral device.
Radio waves
A)
 Microwaves
B)
Infrared waves
C)
none of the above
D)