Term of the Moment
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Redirected from: binary digit
Definition: bit
(1) (Built-In Test) See BIST.
(2) (BInary digiT) The smallest element of computer storage. The bit is a single digit in a binary number containing only 0s and 1s. Physically the bit is a transistor and capacitor in a RAM cell, a magnetic domain on disk or tape, a cell in a solid state drive (SSD), a spot on optical media or a voltage pulsing through a circuit.
Transmitting Bits
Bits are used as a measurement for network transmission. For example, one hundred megabits per second (100 Mbps) means that 100 million pulses are transmitted per second. See space/time.
Storing Bytes
Eight bits make up a "byte," which is manipulated as one entity. Each byte can store one alphanumeric character, one or two decimal digits or a decimal number from 0 to 256 (see byte, binary number and binary values). The size of a file, database, storage drive and memory (RAM) is given in bytes rather than bits. See space/time and word.
Storage - Making it Smaller
Transmission - Making it Faster
(2) (BInary digiT) The smallest element of computer storage. The bit is a single digit in a binary number containing only 0s and 1s. Physically the bit is a transistor and capacitor in a RAM cell, a magnetic domain on disk or tape, a cell in a solid state drive (SSD), a spot on optical media or a voltage pulsing through a circuit.
Transmitting Bits
Bits are used as a measurement for network transmission. For example, one hundred megabits per second (100 Mbps) means that 100 million pulses are transmitted per second. See space/time.
Storing Bytes
Eight bits make up a "byte," which is manipulated as one entity. Each byte can store one alphanumeric character, one or two decimal digits or a decimal number from 0 to 256 (see byte, binary number and binary values). The size of a file, database, storage drive and memory (RAM) is given in bytes rather than bits. See space/time and word.
Making the spot or cell smaller increases storage capacity. Today's drives hold staggering amounts of data compared to early computers. For a fascinating storage technology that never became popular, see holographic storage.
The bit is transmitted as a pulse of high or low voltage. Transferring pulses within the computer is much simpler than transmitting them over an external network where they are influenced by distance and interference.