Final answer:
Messages are broken down into packets to send data more quickly through the Internet. Packets are small units of data that can be transmitted independently and reassembled at the destination. Compression algorithms can be applied to the data to optimize transmission efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to send data more quickly through the Internet, messages are broken down into packets. A packet is a small unit of data that can be transmitted independently, allowing for faster and more efficient data transfer. Each packet contains a sequence of binary ones and zeros, representing the digital data being transmitted.
By breaking down messages into packets, the Internet can optimize data transmission by sending packets through different routes and reassembling them at the destination. This allows for more reliable and faster data transfer, especially when dealing with large files or weak signals.
Furthermore, breaking messages into packets also allows for computer algorithms to compress the digital data before transmission. Compression algorithms remove redundant information and reduce the overall size of the data, allowing for more data to be transmitted in each frequency range.