Different wavelengths of light travel at _____ speed through the glass.

Different wavelengths of light travel at different speeds through the glass due to a phenomenon known as dispersion. This occurs because the refractive index of the glass varies with wavelength. When light enters a medium like glass, different wavelengths (colors) of light are refracted by different amounts, which causes them to travel at different speeds.

For example, blue light, which has a shorter wavelength, typically travels slower than red light, which has a longer wavelength. This variation in speed can significantly affect the performance and quality of fiber optic communication systems, as it can lead to pulse spreading, especially in multimode fibers where different wavelengths may take different paths.

Understanding that light of different wavelengths travels at different speeds is crucial for fiber optic installers, as it influences how signals are transmitted and received, ultimately impacting the effectiveness of the fiber optic network.