| CD-R | CD-ROM | CD-RW | |
| type | Recordable (once only) | Read-only Memory | ReWritable |
| uses | -Music-Video | -Software-Games | -Multimedia-Data |
| Material for data layer | Organic dye | Molded | Phase-changing metal alloy film |
| Material for reflective layer | Gold or silver | Aluminium | Aluminium |
| Does it have a recording layer? | Yes | No | Yes |
CD-Rs and CD-RWs also tend to reflect brighter, sharper rainbows.
cdsrainbow 