In networking, what does the term "latency" refer to?

The term "latency" in networking specifically refers to the time it takes for data to travel from the source to the destination. This includes the total time taken for a packet to be transmitted across the network, which can encompass various factors such as propagation delays, serialization delays, and queuing delays.

Understanding latency is crucial because it directly impacts the performance of applications, especially those that rely on real-time data transfer, such as video conferencing or online gaming. High latency can result in noticeable delays and a less responsive user experience. Thus, option B accurately captures the essence of latency as it pertains to networking concepts.

In contrast, the other concepts mentioned involve different aspects of networking performance, such as bandwidth which relates to the maximum data transfer rate, or the processing speed of a network, which affects how quickly requests are handled but does not define latency itself. Choosing B accurately identifies the specific aspect of network performance that latency describes.