1.1.3 Input, Output and Storage Flashcards
What are “Input Devices”?
Input Devices allow data to be entered into a computer system.
What examples of “Input Devices” are there?
Keyboards, Mice, Microphones, Scanners and Joysticks.
What are “Output Devices”?
Output Devices are devices to output data for the user to see/hear etc.
What examples of “Output Devices” are there?
Printers, Speakers, Headphones, Monitors and Actuators (devices that cause movement).
What are “Storage Devices”?
Storage Devices allow for the store of data, and can be done in three main ways.
Explain how “Magnetic Storage” works, as well as the pricing of the Storage Medium.
Magnetic Storage uses a magnetisable material to store data. It does this by using patterns of magnetisation to represent binary sequences, allowing data to be stored in these binary sequences. Magnetic Storage have high capacity compared to other storage mediums at a low price.
Explain how “Optical Storage” works, as well as the pricing of the Storage Medium.
Optical Storage such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs are used to store data by using a laser to check the surface of the disc. They use something called pits and lands which are read by the laser to determine whether it is a 1 or a 0. Optical Storage have a rather small capacity compared to Magnetic, but are cheap to distribute.
Explain how “Flash Storage” works, as well as the pricing of the Storage Medium.
Flash Storage uses a special type of ROM that allows the user to overwrite the data, making them Read and Write, instead of just Read. The access of the memory is fast due to no moving parts, making them very portable. Flash Storage also has a low storage capacity compared to Magnetic Storage, as well as being expensive.
What examples are there of “Magnetic Storage”?
Hard Disk Drive and Magnetic Tape.
What examples are there of “Optical Storage”?
CDs, DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs.
What examples are there of “Flash Storage”?
USB Sticks, Camera Memory Cards and Solid State Drives.
What does “RAM” stand for, and what does it do?
“Random Access Memory” is a Volatile Memory Store that can have memory read and written to it. Because it is Volatile, it loses its contents when it loses power, but is faster to access than ROM, making it good for storing parts of programs that are in use, as well as the OS.
What does “ROM” stand for, and what does it do?
“Read-Only Memory” is a Non-Volatile (keeps its contents when it loses power) Memory Store that can only have its memory read. This makes it good for storing a computers boot program, as it will constantly be stored and cannot be changed by the user, making it difficult to corrupt.
What is “Virtual Storage”?
This where a section of Secondary Storage is segmented off and becomes usable as Main Memory by the computer.
