As the title says why does toothpaste fix disks
In: 2049
A CD has information on the underside of the label. The basic shape is like a spiral mirror, but with dark spots on it. Information is read by bouncing laser light through the plastic side of the disk, off the mirror, and into a sensor.
A scratch in the plastic disrupts the laser, acting like a prism. It diffuses the laser so the sensor can’t detect it.
Toothpaste acts like a polishing compound, wearing the surface of the disk smooth, and removing enough of the scratch to allow the laser to be read by the sensor.
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