Final answer:
Link state protocols get their name because they consider the physical state of network links and gather information using link state advertisements and the link state database.
Therefore, the correct answer is: option C) They consider the physical state of network links
Step-by-step explanation:
Link-state routing protocols are one of the two main classes of routing protocols used in packet switching networks for computer communications, the others being distance-vector routing protocols.
Link state protocols get their name because they consider the physical state of network links. These protocols, such as OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) and IS-IS (Intermediate System to Intermediate System), gather information about the state and quality of network links by exchanging link state advertisements (LSAs) among routers in the network.
When the topology information is flooded throughout the AS, so that every router within the AS has a complete picture of the topology of the AS. The routers then construct a map of the entire network, known as the link state database (LSDB), which helps them determine the shortest path to reach a particular destination.