Fiber optic connectors and connections can be the most important (and troublesome) part of a fiber optic cable plant. How well do you understand them?
Created by: Jim Hayes
1. Which of the following is the proper definition of a fiber optic connector?
A. A joint between two fibers
B. A joint between two fibers that can be disconnected
C. A device attached to a fiber that terminates it for mating to other fibers or transceivers
D. A temporary splice
2. The quality of a fiber optic connector depends on its ________.
A. Loss
B. Reflectance
C. Reliability
D. All of the above
3. Most fiber optic connectors use ________ ferrules to hold the fiber because it best matches the glass fiber’s properties.
A. Aluminum
B. Stainless steel
C. Thermoplastic
D. Ceramic
4. A single fiber optic connector cannot be said to have loss; loss is defined as the light lost when two connectors are mated to create a joint between two fibers and should be described as “connection loss.”
A. True
B. False
5. Which is the correct term to use: “connector loss” or “connection loss”?
A. Connector loss
B. Connection loss
C. Either is OK
D. What's the difference?
6. To measure the loss of a fiber optic connector, you ________.
A. Mate the connector to a reference cable and read the loss
B. Mate the connector to a reference cable and divide the loss in half (each connector accounts for half of the loss)
C. Plug the connector into a reference source
D. Inspect the connector in a microscope, and compare it to a standard
7. Single-mode connectors have ________ to ensure proper performance.
A. Tighter tolerances
B. Different ferrule end shapes
C. Special polishing procedures
8. Connectors for single-mode fiber can be field-polished by the average installer to have adequate loss and reflectance.
9. The most common problem with high connector loss is ________.
A. Poor polish on the ferrule
B. Scratches in the fiber
C. Cracks in the fiber
D. Dirt or contamination
10. Factory-made connectors on patchcords or cables use the ________ method of attaching connectors.
A. Epoxy/polish
B. Anaerobic/polish
C. Fusion splice-on connectors
D. Cleaved fiber
