Program Information

NASA Kids Science News segment explaining the technology of CDs.

NASA Kids Science News Network™ is a news-style standards-based program that uses the Web, animation, and video to introduce science, technology, engineering, math, and NASA concepts. NASA's KSNN™ uses animated characters (grades K-2) and Web and video technology (grades 3-5) to explain everyday phenomena of our world, correct misconceptions, and answer frequently asked questions.

Transcript

Hi, I'm Jessica with more
technology news you can use.

How does a CD work?

I'm not sure.

I'm just glad it can be done.

Believe it or not, sound is not
really recorded onto a CD.

A computer changes sound
into ones and zeroes
called a digital code.

This special code
is then put onto the CD as pits.

So how does a CD
ever play music?

(Jessica)
When the CD turns, a laser beam
hits the pits and bounces back
after reading
the digital code numbers.

The computer, or your CD player,
understands the code
and changes it into sound--
well, music anyway.

That's amazing!

(Jessica)
If you think that's amazing,
the track that holds the music
is only half a micron wide,
and 40 microns are as wide
as a human hair.

Does NASA use this technology?

(Jessica)
All the time!

To see how,
check out our website.

Until next time,
I'm Jessica with cool
technology news you can use.

Virginia Standards