Signal reflection occurs when a signal is transmitted along a transmission medium, such as a
copper cable or an
optical fiber. Some of the signal power may be reflected back to its origin rather than being carried all the way along the cable to the far end. This happens because imperfections in the cable cause
impedance mismatches and non-linear changes in the cable characteristics. These abrupt changes in characteristics cause some of the transmitted signal to be reflected. In
radio frequency (RF) practice this is often measured in a dimensionless ratio known as
voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) with a VSWR bridge. The ratio of energy bounced back depends on the
impedance mismatch. Mathematically, it is defined using the
reflection coefficient.