Final answer:
The term 'network topology' describes the physical layout of a network, including how nodes and connections are arranged. It significantly influences the network's communication abilities and resilience to failures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question is c. topology. A network topology refers to the arrangement of different elements (links, nodes, etc.) in a computer network. It is essentially the geometric representation of the relationship of all the links and nodes to one another. There are several types of topologies, like star, mesh, bus, ring, and hybrid, each with its own structure and performance implications.
Understanding the topology of a network is critical because it influences the type and quality of the network's communication capabilities, its resilience to failures, and how it can be expanded. For example, in a star topology, all nodes are connected to a central hub, which can make the network easy to manage but also means that if the central hub fails, the entire network could go down. On the other hand, in a mesh topology, every node is connected to every other node, providing high redundancy and fault tolerance.
So, when referring to a network's physical layout, we are discussing its topology, which is a key aspect of network design and function.