Which of the following is an example of an optical disk used for storing large amounts of digital data?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of different storage media, especially the category called optical disks. Optical storage devices use lasers to read and write data on the surface of a disk. Recognising which devices are optical and which are magnetic or electronic is a common requirement in computer fundamentals exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks specifically for an optical disk.
• Options mention digital versatile disk, magnetic hard disk, memory module, data bus connector and floppy diskette.
• We assume a basic knowledge of how data is stored on these media.

Concept / Approach:
Optical disks store data using pits and lands on the disk surface, read by a laser beam. Common examples include compact disks CD, digital versatile disks DVD and Blu ray disks. Magnetic disks, such as traditional hard drives and floppy disks, use magnetic coatings instead. Memory modules, such as RAM chips, store data electronically. Data bus connectors are not storage at all. Therefore, among the options, digital versatile disk is the clear example of an optical disk.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that optical disks are circular plastic disks that are read and written by laser beams. Step 2: Well known optical disks include CDs and DVDs, which are shiny and often used for music, movies and software distribution. Step 3: A digital versatile disk, commonly abbreviated DVD, fits this description exactly. Step 4: Magnetic hard disks work on a different principle, using magnetic fields on spinning platters, and are therefore not optical. Step 5: Memory modules are integrated circuits inserted into slots and use electronic storage, not optical methods. Step 6: A data bus connector carries signals between parts of a computer and is not a storage device at all. Step 7: A floppy diskette is a flexible magnetic disk inside a plastic jacket, so it belongs to magnetic, not optical, storage. Step 8: Therefore, the correct example of an optical disk is a digital versatile disk DVD.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you think about the devices that are read with a laser lens in a CD or DVD drive, you will recall that DVDs are placed in optical drives which shine a laser onto the disk surface. This method is clearly different from the spinning metal platters inside a hard disk drive or the magnetic coated film inside a floppy disk. Textbooks explicitly group CDs and DVDs under optical storage, which matches the option digital versatile disk DVD.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Magnetic hard disks and floppy disks rely on magnetisation of a surface, not lasers and pits, so they are categorised as magnetic storage. Memory modules are semiconductor based electronic storage used for main memory. Data bus connectors are simply part of the communication pathways inside a computer and do not store data. As such, none of these can be considered optical disks.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may sometimes confuse shiny looking hard disk platters with optical media or assume that any round disk must be optical. The key difference is the technology used: optical disks are read by laser, while magnetic disks are read by magnetic heads. Remembering that CDs and DVDs go into optical drives, whereas hard disks remain sealed inside the system unit, can help keep these categories separate in your mind.

Final Answer:
An example of an optical disk is a digital versatile disk DVD.