WHAT ARE FLOPPY DISKS AND HARD DISKS?
A floppy disk is a circular piece of very thin plastic coated with microscopic-sized iron particles. It is used to store computer information much like a digital audio tape stores music and songs. Like an audio tape, a floppy disk can be erased and reused over and over again. A hard disk drive contains circular platters of highly polished steel which can also store computer information and can be erased and reused. Floppy disks are 3.5″ in diameter. They are protected from damage by being contained within vinyl or plastic sleeves which inhibit dust or fingerprints from coming into contact with the disk’s surface. In order to work, floppy disks are inserted into a disk drive which is a device which rotates the disk much as a record player rotates a record. A tiny head, much like the stylus (needle) on a record player, passes over the surface of the floppy disk to access any part of the disk’s surface. A hard disk drive works in essentially the same manner, however, its steel disks are p
