Gap

 

Audio and Video: The space between the pole pieces of a tape head.

Gap Width

The dimension of the gap measured in the direction parallel to the head surface and pole faces. The gap width of the record head governs the track width. The gap widths of reproduce heads are sometimes made appreciably less than those of the record heads to minimise tracking errors.

Gap Depth

The dimension of the gap measured in the direction perpendicular to the surface of a head.