What is the return loss in coaxial cable?

Return loss in coaxial cable refers to the difference in decibels between the power of the signal that is applied to the cable and the power of the signal that is reflected back due to impedance mismatches. This metric is crucial because it helps in assessing how much of the transmitted signal is actually being lost due to reflection rather than being successfully delivered to the intended destination.

A higher return loss indicates that there is less signal reflection, which implies that more of the applied signal power is being successfully transmitted. This is particularly important in applications where signal integrity is critical, such as in communication systems. Therefore, return loss serves as a key parameter in evaluating the performance of coaxial cables in various applications.

The other options, while relevant to signal transmission, do not precisely define return loss. For instance, lost energy from signal interference refers to different aspects of signal degradation, total power loss refers to overall energy expenditure, and the measure of signal quality involves various factors beyond just reflection.