Final answer:
Fiber optics technology relies on total internal reflection to transmit light through fibers of plastic or glass, enabling the light to navigate bends in the fibers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fiber optics depends on the phenomenon of total internal reflection. This occurs when light travels through a medium with a high index of refraction to one with a lower index of refraction at an incident angle greater than the critical angle, causing all the light to be reflected back into the original medium. In fiber optics, light is transmitted down fibers of plastic or glass using this principle, allowing the light to bend around corners within the fiber without loss of signal.