What type of cable system is considered unbalanced?

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Multiple Choice

What type of cable system is considered unbalanced?

Unbalanced cabling uses a single signal conductor with a reference to ground provided by the shield. In coaxial cable, the center conductor carries the signal and the surrounding shield acts as the return path and ground. The signal is therefore referenced to that shield, so external noise couples through and can affect the signal more readily if shielding isn’t perfect. Balanced systems use two conductors carrying equal and opposite signals; noise that couples into both wires is common to both and cancels at the receiver. That’s why twisted pair and shielded twisted pair are considered balanced. Fiber optic isn’t an electrical pair and relies on light transmission, so the ordinary balanced/unbalanced distinction doesn’t apply in the same way. So, coaxial cable is the unbalanced option.

Unbalanced cabling uses a single signal conductor with a reference to ground provided by the shield. In coaxial cable, the center conductor carries the signal and the surrounding shield acts as the return path and ground. The signal is therefore referenced to that shield, so external noise couples through and can affect the signal more readily if shielding isn’t perfect.

Balanced systems use two conductors carrying equal and opposite signals; noise that couples into both wires is common to both and cancels at the receiver. That’s why twisted pair and shielded twisted pair are considered balanced. Fiber optic isn’t an electrical pair and relies on light transmission, so the ordinary balanced/unbalanced distinction doesn’t apply in the same way.

So, coaxial cable is the unbalanced option.

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