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pit Last modified: Friday, January 09, 2004

The recessed area on a CD or DVD where data is stored. CDs and DVDs store data in lands and pits. The lands represent 1 and the pits represent 0 in binary computing. The bits are read by the disc drive that uses a laser beam to distinguish between the lands and pits based on the amount of scattering or deflection that occurs when the beam of light hits the surface of the disc.