1.1.3 Input, Output and Storage Flashcards
(a) How different input, output and storage devices can be applied to the solution of different problems. (b) The uses of magnetic, flash and optical storage devices. (c) RAM and ROM. (d) Virtual storage
Name three input devices
Any from:
Mouse, graphics tablet, touchpad, touchscreen, joystick, controller, keyboard, keypad, buttons, microphone, camera, webcam, barcode reader, scanner
Name three input devices to help people with disabilities
Any from:
Foot mouse, foot pedal, camera (eye tracker), microphone (voice controls), puff/suck switch
Name three output devices
Any from:
Monitor, screen, LEDs, Speaker, Headphones, Printer, Motor, Projector
Name three common sensors:
Any from:
Thermisor (temperature), ultrasonic (distance), gyroscope, accelerometer, moisture, light, GPS
What is an input device?
A device that allows data to be entered into the computer
What is an output device?
A device that reports the result of processing to the user
Give one example of a combined input and output device
Any from:
Touchscreen, headset
What are the four main types of storage?
Optical, magnetic, flash/solid state, cloud/virtual
How does optical storage work?
Data is stored using pits and lands which are read/written onto a reflective surface with a laser. The angle that the light is reflected at determines if a zero or one is stored.
What is one example of optical storage?
Any from:
CDROM, DVDROM (Read only), CDR, DVDR, Blu-Ray-R (Read/Write)
What are the advantages of optical storage?
Physically small, light, and has no moving parts so easy/cheap to transport by post.
Low cost per GB.
Doesn’t require an internet connection
What are the disadvantages of optical storage?
Requires the user to have a disk drive.
Can get scratched.
Hard to find for larger capacities. (Max ~17GB for CD/DVD and ~50GB for Blu-Ray)
How does magnetic storage work?
Magnetic patterns are read off disks/platters that spin at high speeds. The direction of the magnetic field indicates whether a zero or a one is stored.
What is one example of magnetic storage?
Any from:
Internal HDD, external HDD, Magnetic tape
What are the advantages of magnetic storage?
Low cost per GB
Easy to find in high capacity
Long lifespan
Doesn’t require an internet connection
What are the disadvantages of magnetic storage?
Sensitive to magnets
Slow read/write times
Can be damaged by sudden movement
Moving parts that are noisy an consume a lot of power
How does Solid State / Flash storage work?
NAND or DRAM memory chips have their contents erased and overwritten when an electrical charge is applied, forcing electrons through a gate. The presence of charge in the gate represents a one, and the absesnce of charge a zero.
What are the advantages of Solid State / Flash storage?
Generally small, light, and has no moving parts so easy/cheap to transport by post.
Fast data read/write times
Doesn’t require an internet connection
Doesn’t create any noise
What is one example of Solid State / Flash storage?
Any from:
Internal SSD, external SSD, Memory stick, SD card
What are the disadvantages of Flash / Solid State storage?
High cost per GB
Limited number of read/write operations so a shorter lifespan
How does cloud / virtual storage work?
Data is stored on a remote device accessible through the internet, normally owned by a thrid party
What are the advantages of Cloud / Virtual storage?
Data can be accessed from any device with an internet connection
Storage does not take up physical space and is easy to expand by updrading subscription
Most cloud services automatically handle backups, data security, and other services
No risk of losing a physical storage device
What are the disadvantages of Cloud / Virtual storage?
Data cannot be accessed without an internet connection
If the company goes out of buisness you could lose your data
You are reliant on a third party for data secuirty, and might have to send sensitive data over the internet
Accessing data is much slower than local physical storage
What are the two main types of memory?
RAM, ROM
What does RAM stand for?
Random Access Memory
What does ROM stand for?
Read Only Memory
What are the characteristics of RAM?
Can read and write data
Volatile - Will lose all data when the computer is turned off
Stores the programs and data currently in use
Larger than ROM and cache but smaller than storage
Faster than ROM and storage but slower than cache
What are the characteristics of ROM?
Read only
Non volatile - No data will be lost when the computer is turned off
Stores the BIOS and boot program
Smaller than RAM and storage
Very quick to start up when the computer is first turned on
