computer systems: hardware Flashcards
what is hardware
physicals components are called hardware
what are computers
a system of hardware and software that process data in binary form
a collection of hardware and software
what is software
instructions and data that runs on hardware
what is internal and external hardware
internal-found inside computer
external-found outside computer
most input and output devices are ______
external
most processing devices are ________
internal
storage devices can be _________
external or internal
name 5 input devices
keyboard, mouse, microphone, gaming controller
name 5 output devices
speaker, monitor, headphones, printer, projector
hardware can be used as ______ devices and ______ devices
input, output
what is an input device
sends information in to the computer
what is an output device
send information out of the computer
what is internal hardware
main components found inside the computer
what is a processor function
the main function to process data
all data processing is done by _________
CPU
name 2 types of data
numbers, words, integers, etc
what is data?
facts and figures
explain what is meant by computer system
a system is a group of things working together. a computer is made of hardware and software.
why do computers use binary numbers?
binary is easy for computers to process
what is the function of computers?
process data in binary form
what does CU stand for?
control unit
how can you improve computer performance
The performance of a computer can be improved by increasing CPU speed, increasing RAM capacity, increasing storage capacity or using a faster storage type
what does SSD stand for
solid state drive
1 Byte is 8 bits
- 1 kiloByte is 1000 Bytes
- 1 MegaByte is 1000 kB
- 1 GigaByte is 1000 MB
- 1 TeraByte is 1000 GB
notes on bytes
what does CPU contain
ALU and CU (arithmetic logic unit and control unit)
what does CU do?
The Control Unit (CU) sends control signals to manage data flow and understands instructions
what does ALU do?
The Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) performs calculations and comparisons
what does memory do?
Memory holds the data from programs that are currently running
what does storage do?
Storage holds saved data from programs that are not in use
what are buses?
Buses are wires that carry data between computer components
draw the block diagram for system
(write on the notes)
why do people use hard disks rather than SSD
Hard disks are cheaper for the same amount of storage compared to solid state drives
what is system software
System software are tasks run by the computer, with not much user control. E.g.: operating system, device driver, antivirus
