Final answer:
Magnetic striping refers to encoded magnetic patterns, critical in credit cards and geological studies through electromagnetic induction and magnetostratigraphy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term 'magnetic striping' refers to patterns of magnetic information encoded on strips of magnetic material. One common example of magnetic striping is the black strip found on the back of credit cards and driver's licenses. The information on these strips is recorded and read through a process called electromagnetic induction, which allows for the encoding of data by aligning the magnetic poles of individual atoms in the strip. This phenomenon is also essential in geology, where magnetostratigraphy is used to study the changes in Earth's magnetic field over time, as seen in the patterns of magnetized rock strata.