What are the two main types of fiber optic cables?

The two main types of fiber optic cables are indeed single-mode and multi-mode fiber cables. Single-mode fiber is designed for long-distance communication and has a smaller core diameter, allowing only one mode of light to propagate through the fiber, which significantly reduces light loss and increases the distance the signal can travel without degradation. This makes single-mode fiber ideal for telecommunications and cable television, facilitating high-bandwidth applications over longer distances.

Multi-mode fiber, on the other hand, has a larger core diameter and allows multiple modes of light to propagate, which means it can support more than one signal at a time. While this design makes multi-mode fiber suitable for shorter distances, like within buildings or campus networks, it is typically less effective over longer distances due to modal dispersion, where different light modes arrive at different times, potentially causing signal degradation.

The other options do not accurately match the primary categories of fiber optic cables. For example, coaxial cable is a different technology entirely and is not classified as a fiber optic cable. Similarly, shielded twisted pair cables pertain to copper wiring rather than fiber optics. Fiber ribbon is a form of fiber optic cable but is a specific configuration rather than a major category. Thus, the distinction between single-mode and multi-mode fiber cables