Which layer of the OSI model is responsible for error detection and correction relating to the physical layer?

The Data Link layer, which is Layer 2 of the OSI model, plays a critical role in ensuring reliable communication across the physical medium by providing error detection and correction. This layer is responsible for data framing, which includes adding headers and trailers to packets to form frames. Among its key functions is the ability to detect errors that may occur while data is being transmitted over the physical layer. It does this by using techniques such as checksums or cyclic redundancy checks (CRC).

When errors are detected, the Data Link layer can initiate mechanisms for error correction, which may include retransmission of the corrupted frames. This error handling capability is vital for maintaining data integrity and reliable communication, particularly in a noisy environment where transmission errors are likely to happen.

In contrast, the responsibilities of the Physical layer (Layer 1) focus on the actual transmission of raw bits over the physical medium and do not include error checking or correction. The Network layer (Layer 3) manages routing and forwarding of data packets but does not focus on error detection at the link level, while the Session layer (Layer 5) is more concerned with managing sessions and dialogues between applications rather than data transmission reliability.