read/write head

A read/write head is a device used in data storage technologies like hard drives or tape drives. It is a small component that moves across the storage medium to either read information from or write information to it. When reading, the head detects the magnetic or optical signals that represent data. When writing, it alters the medium to encode new information. The effectiveness of the read/write head is crucial to the performance and reliability of the storage device, impacting how quickly and accurately data can be accessed or saved.