1.3 Input Output and Storage devices

Question 1

What is an input device?

Answer 1

• input devices are hardware components that allow users to interact with a computer system
• they enable the user to input data or commands into the system, which the computer then processes to produce output

Question 2

What is an output device?

Answer 2

• hardware components that recieve information from a computer system and present it to the user in a comprehensible form
• they enable the computer to communicate the results of processed data or commands

Question 3

What is magnetic storage?

Answer 3

• information is stored magnetically representing binary information using two magnetic states which represent 1 and 0
• 1s and 0s represented by changes in polarity
• e.g. Hard Disk drives, Magnetic Tape drives, Floppy discs

Question 4

What are the benefits of magnetic storage?

Answer 4

• High Storage Capacity
• relatively low cost per gigabyte
• suitable for long term storage and backup

Question 5

What are the drawbacks of magnetic storage?

Answer 5

• slower read/write speeds compared to other types
• susceptible to physical damage
• moving parts can wear out overtime

Question 6

What is Optical Storage?

Answer 6

• read from/written to using lasers. Information is represented by portions of the disc which either reflect or scatter the incident laser light, called pits (which scatter light) and lands (which reflect light)
• e.g. CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs

Question 7

What are the benefits of optical storage?

Answer 7

• durable and relatively immune to environmental conditions
• easy to transport (portable)
• suitable for distributing music , software, or movies

Question 8

What are the drawbacks of optical storage?

Answer 8

• lower storage capacity compared to other types
• slower read/write speeds due to moving parts
• can be easily scratched or damaged

Question 9

What is flash storage?

Answer 9

• Silicon semiconductors form the logic gates NAND and NOR. Logic gates used to store electrical charge in one of two states: high or low
• e.g. Solid State Drives, USB flash drives

Question 10

What are the benefits of flash storage?

Answer 10

• faster read/write speeds
• no moving parts, so less likely to fail due to physical shock
• silent operation

Question 11

What are the drawbacks of flash storage?

Answer 11

• Higher cost per gigabyte
• flash memory cells can wear out after a certain number of write cycles

Question 12

What are the properties of a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)?

Answer 12

• Magnetic storage
• 500GB - 2TB storage capacity
• Low cost per GB
• Low portability
• Moderate durability (susceptible to damage from shocks or falls due to moving parts)

Question 13

What are the properties of a Solid State Drive (SSD)?

Answer 13

• Flash storage
• 120GB-4TB storage capacity
• High cost per GB
• High Portability (especially for external
  SSDs)
• High durability (no moving parts, less
  susceptible to physical shock)

Question 14

What are the properties of a USB flash drive?

Answer 14

• Flash storage
• 8GB-256GB (common sizes)
• Moderate cost per GB
• Very high portability (small and lightweight)
• Moderate Durability (can withstand casual handling, but can be lost or damaged if not cared for)

Question 15

What are the properties of CD/DVD/Blu-ray disc?

Answer 15

• Optical storage
• CD: 700GB storage capacity
• DVD: 4.7-9GB storage capacity
• Blu-ray: 25-50GB storage capacity
• Low cost per disc
• High Portability (thin and lightweight)
• Low Durability (can be scratched or damaged easily)

Question 16

What is virtual storage?

Answer 16

• aka cloud storage
• refers to a model of data storage where digital data is stored across multiple servers and locations, typically hosted by third parties e.g. Microsoft, Google, Apple
• storage may appear to be local from user’s perspective, the data is physically located elsewhere, often distributed across a network of servers

Question 17

What are the benefits of virtual storage?

Answer 17

• Scalability:
  > Easy to increase storage capacity as
  needs grow
• Accessibility:
  > Data can be accessed from anywhere
  with an internet connection
• Data Protection:
  > Data redundancy protects against data
  loss due to hardware failure
• Cost-Effective:
  > Pay only for the storage used, often
  more affordable than maintaining own
  storage infrastructure

Question 18

What are the drawbacks of virtual storage?

Answer 18

• Dependence on internet connection:
  > Access to data can be slow or
  impossible with a poor internet
  connection
• Security concerns:
  > Storing sensitive data off-site can pose
  a risk, despite the provider’s security
  measures
• Ongoing costs:
  > While cost-effective, virtual storage is
  an ongoing expense and costs can add
  up over time

Question 19

What is random access memory?

Answer 19

• stores data currently being used by the computer, such as open applications and files

Question 20

What are the properties of Random Access Memory?

Answer 20

• data in RAM can be read and written to by the processor, allows fast data access and manipulation
• volatile, so loses its contents when computer is turned off
• directly accessible, meaning the processor can access any part of the RAM equally fast
• more RAM that a system has, the more data it can process simultaneously, leading to faster performance

Question 21

What is read-only memory (ROM)?

Answer 21

• stores the BIOS or firmware used to start up the computer and initialise hardware components

Question 22

What are the properties of read-only memory?

Answer 22

• non-volatile, so it retains its contents even when the computer is turned off
• data stored in ROM can be read by the computer but not written to or modified
• essential for system startup