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A-Level Computer Science > 3: Input, Output and Storage > Flashcards

3: Input, Output and Storage Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an input device?

A

Any device that allows you to pass information from the outside world into a computer system

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2
Q

give 5 examples of input devices

A

webcam, keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone

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3
Q

What is an output device?

A

Any device that can take data stored in digital form and convert it into a format that can be processed by humans such as sound, images or vibrations

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4
Q

Give 4 examples of output devices

A

speakers, headphones, monitors, printers

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5
Q

What is a storage device?

A

Any device used for either temporary or permanent storage of data - can be internal or external

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6
Q

Give 3 examples of internal storage devices

A

RAM, SSD, magnetic hard drive

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7
Q

Give 3 examples of external storage devices

A

Optical disk such as DVD or Blu-ray, USB stick, memory card

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8
Q

What is a drive?

A

A device that reads and writes data from secondary storage

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9
Q

What is the media?

A

What the data is actually stored on

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10
Q

What are 5 types of media for optical devices?

A
  • Compact Disk Read only (CDR)
  • Compact Disk Read Write (CDRW)
  • Digital Versatile Disk Read only (DVDR)
  • Digital Versatile Disk Read Write (DVDRW)
  • Blu-ray
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11
Q

How do optical drives work?

A
  • A laser is shone at the media and processing the reflection from the media
  • In read only drives, the surface of the disk is physically burned by the laser, creating what are known as pits and lands, suitable for storing 0s and 1s. Once the media is burnt, the surface cannot be changed
  • For writable drives, the chemical composition of the disk is changed by a reversible chemical reaction. This means the data can be written many times
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12
Q

what are the positives of optical devices?

A
  • cheap
  • lightweight
  • portable
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13
Q

What are the negatives of optical devices?

A
  • slow access times

- prone to scratches

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14
Q

What are the positives of magnetic storage?

A
  • cheap

- large capacity

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15
Q

What are the negatives of magnetic storage?

A
  • slow access times

- fragile

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16
Q

Why is magnetic storage slower than the alternatives?

A
  • contains a drive head, which has to physically move across the surface of the disk
  • since it is a mechanical component, it will eventually fail, and it will run a little slower than alternative drives with no moving parts
17
Q

What are the positives of SSDs?

A
  • durable

- fast access times

18
Q

What are the negatives of SSDs?

A
  • cost

- limited read/writes

19
Q

How do SSDs work?

A
  • Flow of electricity forcing electrons into floating gates between two oxide layers
  • This causes a change in the charge between the floating gate which can be measured as a 0 or a 1
20
Q

Why do SSDs only have a limited lifespan?

A
  • Over time, the oxide layers will deteriorate, making the transfer of electrons unreliable
  • this gives SSDs a limited number of read/write cycles and therefore a limited lifespan
21
Q

What is virtual storage (cloud storage)?

A

The concept of storing and retrieving data over the internet in the cloud instead of a local storage device

22
Q

What are the advantages of virtual storage?

A
  • data can be accessed any time from any device as long as there is internet access
  • data can easily be shared without the need for removable media transfer (e.g USB drive)
  • easy to collaborate
  • Storage considered to be ‘limitless’ from the users point of view
23
Q

What are the disadvantages of virtual storage?

A
  • Can become quite expensive
  • If connectivity is poor, access times can be slow
  • no internet connection means no access to your files
24
Q

What is ROM?

A
  • Small pieces of Read Only Memory, located on the motherboard
  • non volatile
  • contains very first instructions for the computer (bootstrap)
25
Q

What is RAM?

A
  • Temporary storage of instructions and data
  • Holds information being executed by the processor
  • Volatile
  • Much faster than hard disk
26
Q

How does ROM help the computer start functioning when it is first turned on?

A
  • It contains the bootstrap, a set of initial startup instructions placed in the ROM during manufacturing
  • These first initial instructions perform a Power On Self Test (POST)
  • The POST sends signals to all connected components and makes the CPU aware of their existence
  • After this, it can open the OS into RAM
  • The OS can then begin the booting up process

A-Level Computer Science (25 decks)

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