What term describes the theoretical maximum amount of data that a cable can handle?

The term that describes the theoretical maximum amount of data that a cable can handle is bandwidth. Bandwidth refers to the capacity of a network channel to transmit data, typically measured in bits per second (bps). It indicates how much data can travel over the network connection in a given time frame, which plays a crucial role in determining the performance of a network connection.

Throughput, while related to bandwidth, refers to the actual amount of data successfully transmitted over the network in a specific time period. It often differs from bandwidth due to various factors such as network congestion, protocol overhead, and physical media limitations.

Latency is the time delay experienced in a system, often measured as the time taken for a packet of data to travel from source to destination. It influences the responsiveness of a network but does not directly describe the data capacity of the cable itself.

Packet loss occurs when data packets traveling across a network fail to reach their destination. This can affect the performance of data transmission but is not a measure of the cable’s maximum capacity.

By understanding that bandwidth specifically refers to the maximum data capacity that can be handled, it becomes clear why this term is the correct choice in this context.