Bit

Bit, in computer science, short for binary digit; either 1 or 0 in the binary number system. In computer processing and storage, a bit is the smallest unit of information handled by a computer and is represented physically by an element such as a single pulse sent through a circuit or a small spot on a magnetic disk capable of storing either a 1 or a 0. Considered singly, bits convey little information a human would consider meaningful. In groups of eight, however, bits become the familiar bytes used to represent all types of information, including the letters of the alphabet and the digits 0 through 9. See also ASCII.