What is fragmentation?

Fragmentation is the process of breaking something into smaller parts or fragments. In computing, fragmentation refers to the phenomenon where files or data are scattered in different locations on a storage device, leading to inefficiencies in accessing and managing the data. This can occur due to frequent file deletions and creations, leading to gaps in storage space that can slow down the system.

Fragmentation is the process of breaking a larger object into smaller pieces. It can be a physical process, such as when a rock is broken into smaller pieces by weathering or erosion, or a chemical process, such as when a molecule is broken down into smaller molecules by a chemical reaction. Fragmentation can also be used to describe the process of dividing a larger piece of data into smaller pieces, such as when a file is divided into smaller chunks for storage or transmission.