Wavelength-division multiplexing

You know how sometimes you see rainbow colors in a sprinkler or a prism? That's because different colors of light have different wavelengths (like the distance between the peaks of waves). Wavelength-division multiplexing is like sending different colored lights down a fiber optic cable at the same time. Each color of light (also known as a wavelength) carries information like pictures, sound or computer data. The colors don't get mixed up because they have different wavelengths, like different lanes on a highway, and can be separated at the other end of the cable. This allows more information to be sent at the same time, making communication faster and more efficient.