Computer capacity measurements

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These are binary units often used with computers. Alternative suggested units are normal base 10 SI prefixes for bytes, i.e. kilobyte = 1,000 bytes, megabyte = 1,000,000 bytes.

1 bit is either a 1 or a 0 in the binary language of computers, representative of an electric pulse or lack thereof in a computer circuit.

1 byte is 8 bits - Common characters such as a letter or number typically take up 1 byte.

1 kilobyte is 1,024 bytes - An example of a file this size would be a document with roughly 200 words.

1 megabyte is 1,024 kibibytes - An example of a file this size would be a document with roughly 200,000 words, a very small MP3 audio file, or a short, well compressed video clip.

1 gigabyte is 1,024 mebibytes - Older computer systems rarely had more than one gigabyte of hard drive space. One can roughly hold 200 - 300 MP3 files, or a well compressed movie.

1 tebibyte is 1,024 gibibytes - Largest amount of space on the market today.

1 pebibyte is 1,024 tebibytes - Possibly being used in supercomputers.

1 exbibyte is 1,024 pebibytes - Not in existence because there are no known applications for this amount of space.

1 zebibyte is 1,024 exbibytes - Not in existence because there are no known applications for this amount of space.

1 yobibyte is 1,024 zebibytes - Not in existence because there are no known applications for this amount of space.