Magneto-optical drive facts for kids
A magneto-optical drive is a special kind of disk drive for computers. It can read and write information onto special discs called magneto-optical disks. This technology was first developed in the late 1980s.
These discs look a bit like CD-ROMs, but they are protected inside a plastic case. They come in different sizes, like 3.5 inches and 5.25 inches. A MiniDisc is a well-known example of a magneto-optical disk, though other types are larger.
Your computer sees and uses these disks much like a regular hard drive. The smaller 3.5-inch disks can hold between 128 megabytes (MB) and 2.3 gigabytes (GB) of data. The larger 5.25-inch disks can store even more, from 650 MB up to 16.7 GB.
How Magneto-Optical Drives Work
Magneto-optical drives use both magnets and lasers to store and read data. When writing data, a laser heats up a tiny spot on the disk. At the same time, a magnetic field changes the direction of the magnetism in that spot. This change stores the information.
To read data, the drive uses a laser again. This time, the laser is weaker. It shines on the disk, and the way the light reflects tells the drive if the spot is "on" or "off." This is how the computer reads the stored information.
Durability of MO Disks
Magneto-optical disks are quite strong and reliable. Each disk has a physical switch that protects it from being accidentally written over. This is similar to the switch you might find on old 3.5-inch floppy disks.
These disks are also very resistant to changes in data. They can handle temperatures up to about 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit). They are also not easily affected by light, which helps keep your data safe for a long time.
DVD-RAM disks look very similar to magneto-optical disks. However, DVD-RAM disks use only lasers to read and write data, making them purely optical.
Images for kids
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A 650 MB, 3.5 inch disk.
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A 2.6 GB disk, this one is 5.25 inches.
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An opened MO Disk, showing the different sections.
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A 230 MB Fujitsu 90 mm magneto-optical disc.
See also
In Spanish: Disco magneto-óptico para niños
