What is a floppy disk?

A floppy disk is a magnetic storage media enclosed in plastic, which is why this choice is correct. Floppy disks were once a common form of portable data storage that utilized magnetic storage technology to read and write data on a flexible disk coated with magnetic material. They typically came in a rectangular shape with a standard, protective plastic shell to safeguard the delicate floppy medium inside.

Understanding the context of floppy disks helps to clarify their role in the evolution of storage technology. They were widely used in the late 20th century before being largely replaced by more modern storage solutions such as USB flash drives and cloud storage. The magnetic properties allowed data to be stored and retrieved, differentiating them from optical media, external hard drives, or solid-state memory, which operate under different principles.