Blockchain — A Short and Simple Explanation in Pictures
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A Blockchain is a method of storing data. Data is stored in blocks which are linked to the previous block.
But what does a “Block” look like?
Each “block” contains
- Data of transactions
- A unique fingerprint for all the data in the block called a hash
- A hash of the previous block’s data
What does each of these items mean?
Data in the block usually consists of transactions. A block can contain hundreds of transactions. Alice sending Bob $100 is an example of a transaction in a block
A hash is a unique combination of letters and numbers. It is like a fingerprint for the data in a block and it is always unique to every block in the Blockchain. When the data in a block changes, the hash will also change.
Hence in a transaction, if the amount being sent Alice to Bob changes from $50 to $100, the hash of the block will completely change.
A block also contains the hash of the previous block. Hence forming a chain structure. Combining the above three together, this is what a Blockchain will look like
Now if a transaction in any block changes, the hash of the block will change. When the hash of the block changes, the next block will show a mismatch with the previous hash that was recorded by it.
This gives Blockchain the property of being tamper-resistance as it becomes very easy to identify when data in a Block has changed.