The loss resulting from mated fiber ends that are not perpendicular to the fiber's axis is an example of _________ loss.

The loss that occurs due to mated fiber ends that are not perpendicular to the fiber's axis is classified as extrinsic loss. Extrinsic loss refers to attenuation or loss characteristics that arise from factors external to the fiber itself, such as misalignments, imperfections during fiber splicing, or connector issues.

When the fiber ends are not aligned properly—meaning they are angled instead of being cut at a perfect 90-degree angle—light that is intended to travel through one fiber may not be efficiently transmitted into the other. This misalignment can cause a significant portion of the light to be lost, leading to degraded signal strength.

Intrinsic losses relate to the material and design properties of the fiber, while internal losses typically refer to factors that occur within the fiber itself, such as absorption or scattering. External loss encompasses issues like those arising from poor connections or mismatched grooves in connectors, thus making extrinsic loss the appropriate classification in this scenario.