Watch: A vinyl disc in slow motion play mode, under an electron microscope

Most of you in this generation will probably not know what a vinyl disc is. Well, a casual name for the vinyl disc is a ‘record’. It is a simple non-electronic disc on which, sound is recorded in the form of physical grooves. Depending on the amplitude and frequency of the sound stored on the disc, the grooves have a wave form and depth on each groove.

A pick up needle moves inside this groove, which is connected to a magnetic pick-up arm. The needle moves sideways and up and down to create motion, which is then converted into electrical signals, only to be later converted to sound. Used prior to magnetic cassette tapes and now CDs and DVD, the vinyl (record) was one of the earliest form of storing music. Check how this looks under an electron microscope in slow motion.