Fiber optic cables use total internal reflection to keep light signals bouncing within the core, allowing data to travel quickly and with minimal loss. An optical fiber is comprised of a light-carrying core in the center, surrounded by a cladding that acts to traps light in the. Refraction, or the change in the direction of light as it changes speeds passing from one material into another, is a key component in fiber-optic transmission. In an era where speed and bandwidth are critical, understanding the principles behind. Fiber optic cables use a similar concept to guide light. In fiber optics, light passes from.