MAGNETIC DRUMS Meaning and
Definition
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Magnetic drums refer to a type of data storage device, commonly used in early computers, that utilizes magnetic fields to store and retrieve data. These drums consist of a cylindrical metal drum coated with a magnetic material, typically iron oxide.
The storage and retrieval process in magnetic drums involves the use of read and write heads. Each surface of the drum is divided into sectors, and data is stored in concentric tracks within these sectors. The read/write heads, positioned close to the drum surface, can magnetize the material in discrete areas or sense the changes in magnetic alignment to decipher stored data.
To store data, the heads position themselves either horizontally or vertically over the desired track. By applying an electric current, the heads magnetize the drum's surface, which creates either a positive or negative magnetic charge, representing binary 1s or 0s. The data is rotated along the drum surface and can be read by the appropriate head when needed.
Magnetic drums had a capacity ranging from a few kilobytes to several hundred kilobytes, depending on their size and design. They were primarily used for storing operating systems, data files, and application programs. However, their relatively slow access times limited their use to sequential data processing tasks and made them less suitable for random access operations.
Magnetic drums were prevalent during the 1950s and 1960s but were gradually phased out as more advanced and efficient storage technologies were developed.
Common Misspellings for MAGNETIC DRUMS
- nagnetic drums
- kagnetic drums
- jagnetic drums
- mzgnetic drums
- msgnetic drums
- mwgnetic drums
- mqgnetic drums
- mafnetic drums
- mavnetic drums
- mabnetic drums
- mahnetic drums
- maynetic drums
- matnetic drums
- magbetic drums
- magmetic drums
- magjetic drums
- maghetic drums
- magnwtic drums
- magnstic drums
- magndtic drums
Etymology of MAGNETIC DRUMS
The etymology of the term "magnetic drums" can be broken down as follows:
1. Magnetic: The word "magnetic" derives from the Latin word "magnetis" and the Greek word "magnētis lithos", both referring to lodestone—a naturally magnetized mineral. The concept of magnetism has ancient roots, with the term being used to describe the attractive properties of lodestones.
2. Drums: In this context, "drums" refers to cylindrical rotating objects. The word "drum" originated from the Old English word "drum", which means a cylindrical barrel or tube-like instrument. This initially referred to the musical instrument, but over time, the term expanded to other cylindrical objects, such as industrial drums.
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