What is the difference between optical fibers and standard cable?

Malissa Porth: simple answer. optical fibers are hair thin strands of glass that transmit information using lasers. standard cable is copper -cored wire that transmits information using electrical impulses

Peter Lapoint: An optical fiber (or fibre) is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers. Optical fibers are widely used in fiber-optic communications, which permits transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than other forms of communications. Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss, and they are also immune to electromagnetic interference. Fibers are also used for illumination, and are wrapped in bundles so they can be used to carry images, thus allowing viewing in tight spaces. Specially designed fibers are used for a variety of other applicatio! ns, including sensors and fiber lasers....Show more