why do electromagnetic waves affect credit card?

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why do electromagnetic waves affect credit card?

2006-09-14 04:28:28 · 2 answers · asked by saeed f 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering

2 answers

The magnetic strip on the card that holds all your information for the machine to read is basically a piece of tape like the one in a VHS tape. The info is put there just like a VHS tape, using a tape recording machine designed to encode the strip. If you put a magnet near the strip, it will alter the encoding and even erase the info. The number can always be entered manually at a retailer or bank but the card wouldn't work in an ATM or any other swipe reader.

2006-09-14 04:36:50 · answer #1 · answered by vmmhg 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋

Because the functinal part of a credit card is a magnetic strip.

2006-09-14 11:31:57 · answer #2 · answered by isaac a 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋