A compact disc uses _____ to encode musical information.
a beam of light
a needle, or stylus
wavy grooves
pits and flats
1 answer
A compact disc uses pits and flats to encode musical information. These pits and flats are arranged in a spiral track on the surface of the disc, which is read by a laser beam in a CD player. When the laser hits a flat, it reflects back to the detector, but when it hits a pit, it scatters, causing less light to return to the detector. These variations in reflection are then translated into digital information which is decoded into music.