Word: Formatted Capacity
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition:Formatted capacity refers to the amount of space on a disk drive (like a hard drive, USB stick, or memory card) that is actually usable for storing files. When a disk is formatted, some space is used up for organizing the data, like creating sector headings and other necessary information. This means that the formatted capacity is usually less than the total capacity that is advertised.
Usage Instructions: You can use "formatted capacity" when discussing storage devices, especially in contexts like computing or data storage. It is important to understand this term when choosing storage devices because it helps you know how much data you can really store after formatting.
Example Sentence: “The new external hard drive has a total capacity of 2 terabytes, but its formatted capacity is only 1.8 terabytes because some space is used for formatting.”
Advanced Usage: In technical discussions, you might hear about "formatted capacity" in relation to different file systems (like NTFS, FAT32, etc.) and how they impact the amount of space available for user data.
Word Variants: - Unformatted capacity: The total storage space of a disk before it is formatted. - Format: The verb form, meaning to prepare a disk for use by organizing the data structure.
Different Meaning: In a broader sense, "formatted" can also refer to organizing text or data in a certain way, such as formatting a document in Microsoft Word, but in this context, it specifically relates to disk drives.
Synonyms: - Usable capacity - Available space
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:While there are no direct idioms or phrasal verbs related specifically to "formatted capacity," you might encounter the phrase "format a disk," which means to prepare a disk for use by organizing its data structure.