Fiber optic cables transmit light through thin glass strands called optical fibers. The core of the fiber carries light through total internal reflection off the cladding layer. There are two main types of optical fibers - single-mode fibers have a small core and transmit laser light while multi-mode fibers have a larger core and transmit LED light. Fiber optic systems include a transmitter that produces light signals, the optical fiber that carries the signals, and a receiver that interprets the signals. Fiber optic technology has advantages over traditional copper cables including lower costs, higher data capacity, and safety.