In personal computers, the storage capacity of a hard drive is typically measured in which of the following units?

Introduction / Context:
When buying or configuring a computer, one of the key specifications is hard drive capacity. This tells you how much data, such as documents, photos, videos, and software, the drive can store. Understanding the correct unit for hard drive capacity helps you interpret these specifications correctly and distinguish storage units from units used in physics or other domains. This question asks which unit is commonly used to measure hard drive capacity in personal computers.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The device in question is a hard drive or similar mass storage device in a personal computer.
• The options include Newton (N), GB, THz, and a clearly non-standard unit Gwallior.
• We assume standard conventions used by computer manufacturers.
• We focus on practical everyday descriptions such as 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB hard drives.

Concept / Approach:
Storage capacity is measured in bytes, which are units of digital information. For hard drives and solid state drives, capacities are typically expressed in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB), where 1 GB is approximately 10^9 bytes and 1 TB is approximately 10^12 bytes. Newton is a unit of force in physics, THz (terahertz) is a unit of frequency, and Gwallior is not a recognised unit at all. Therefore, the only option that correctly represents a common unit of hard drive capacity is GB, standing for gigabytes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that hard drive specifications are typically written as, for example, 500 GB HDD or 1 TB SSD. Step 2: Recognise that GB stands for gigabytes, a unit of digital storage capacity. Step 3: Note that Newton (N) is defined as the unit of force equal to kg * m / s^2, unrelated to data storage. Step 4: Recall that THz (terahertz) measures frequency, often used in physics and communication systems, not storage size. Step 5: Observe that Gwallior is not a standard scientific or computing unit at all. Step 6: Conclude that GB is the appropriate unit for expressing hard drive capacity in everyday computing contexts.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you browse technical specifications for laptops, desktops, or external drives, they will list storage capacity in gigabytes or terabytes, such as 256 GB SSD or 2 TB HDD. Operating systems such as Windows and macOS also report disk capacity and free space using GB or TB units. Physics and engineering references, on the other hand, use Newton for force and terahertz for high frequency electromagnetic waves, never for storage. These consistent real world uses confirm that gigabytes are the correct units for hard drive capacity in everyday computer descriptions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Newton (unit of force): This measures physical force and has nothing to do with data capacity. THz (terahertz, a frequency unit): Used to describe very high frequencies, not the amount of data that can be stored. Gwallior (a non-standard, meaningless unit): This is not a recognised unit in computing or physics and is clearly incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners may confuse different abbreviations such as GB, GHz, and THz because they all involve the letters G and H or T. Remember that GB relates to bytes and storage capacity, while GHz (gigahertz) and THz (terahertz) refer to frequencies, such as CPU clock speed or signal frequency. Keeping track of whether a unit measures amount of data, speed, or frequency is crucial for correctly interpreting technical specifications.

Final Answer:
The storage capacity of a hard drive in a personal computer is typically measured in GB (gigabytes of storage capacity).