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General Physics Science Fair Project

Fiber Optic Bending and Signal Loss

Hard
Fiber Optic Bending and Signal Loss | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Does bending a fiber optic cable weaken the signal it carries? Light travels through fiber optic cables by bouncing off the inner walls. A tight bend can cause some of that light to escape. You set up a fiber optic transmission system connected to a scopemeter. Test the cable at 1 kHz and 10 kHz, then again at 1 MHz. Wrap the cable around wooden dowels ranging from 1 inch to 1/8 inch in diameter. Record the amplitude for each bend. The results show that bending reduces amplitude but does not change frequency. Tighter bends cause greater amplitude loss. Signals sent at a lower constant amplitude lose a higher percentage than those sent at a higher amplitude.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the audio signal will lose frequency and amplitude when transmitted through a fiber optic cable with a smaller degree of bend diameter.

Method & Materials

You will set up a fiber optic transmission system and measure the frequency and amplitude of the signal before and after it's sent through the cable. You will wrap the cable around wooden dowels of different diameters and measure the signal loss.
You will need a fiber optic transmission system, a scopemeter, wooden dowels of different diameters, and a signal generator.

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Results

The results of the experiment showed that the audio signal only lost amplitude when transmitted through a fiber optic cable with a smaller degree of bend diameter. The highest percentage of loss of amplitude occurred when the signal was transmitted through the cable with a constant amplitude of 5 volts peak to peak.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it explores how the physical shape of a cable can affect the signal that is transmitted through it.

Also Consider

Experiment variations to consider include testing different frequencies and amplitudes, and using different materials for the cable.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

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