Which protocol is commonly used to send and receive emails on the internet?

Correct option is B

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the standard protocol used on the internet to send emails from a client to a mail server and between mail servers. When a user clicks “Send” on an email, SMTP is responsible for transferring that message to the recipient’s mail server. While other protocols are used for retrieving emails, SMTP specifically handles the sending process, making it the correct answer in this context.
Important Key Points:
1. Full Form of SMTP: SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.
2. Primary Function: Used to send outgoing emails from email clients to servers and between mail servers.
3. How Email Communication Works?
· SMTP → sending emails
· POP3 / IMAP → receiving emails
4. Common Ports Used: Port 25 (traditional), Port 587 (secure submission), Port 465 (secure SMTP).
5. Applications: Used by email services like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and enterprise mail servers.
6. Why It’s Essential? Without SMTP, email messages could not be transmitted across the internet.
Knowledge Booster:
· Why option (a) FTP is incorrect? FTP is used for file transfer, not email communication.
· Why option (c) HTTPS is incorrect? HTTPS is used for secure web browsing, not for sending emails.
· Why option (d) WWW is incorrect? WWW (World Wide Web) is a service for accessing web pages, not a communication protocol for email.