Types and Components of a computer system Flashcards
what is a hardware?
it is the physical parts of a computer. The parts that you can touch and see
what are 4 examples of a hardware?
- a motherboard
- a CPU
- keyboard
- monitor
what is a software?
2 points
- a collection of instructions that can be ‘run’ on a computer
- softwares are not physical
what are 3 examples of softwares?
- windows
- Mac OS
- Microsoft Word
what are the differences between softwares and hardwares?
2 points
- computer hardware is the physical components that make up a computer. Hardware is useless without software to run on it
- software is instructions that tell computer hardware what to do. Software is useless unless there is a hardware to run on it.
what do computers need so that they can be useful?
they need to consist of both hardware and software
what is the CPU (Central Processing Unit)?
it is the brain of the computer. It is the device that carries out software instructions
what is an example of a CPU?
the Pentium processor made by Intel
where is a CPU usually plugged into?
it is usually a pug into a large socket on the main circuit board (the motherboard) of a computer
what does the speed of a CPU (measured in Herts, Hz) usually correspond to?
it corresponds to the number of actions the CPU can perform per second
how many actions can a typical, modern CPU perform per second?
3 bilion actions
where does any data or instruction that are to be processed by the CPU placed in?
into main memory
what is random access memory (or RAM)?
it is the part of the computer that temporarily stores the instructions that the computer is running
what type of device is RAM?
it is a volatile storage device. This means that if the computer’s power is turned off the contents of RAM disappear and are lost.
where do RAM plug into?
into sockets on the motherboard
what will RAM contain when a computer is in use?
3 points
- The operating system software
- The application software currently being used
- Any data that is being processed
what is read-only memory (ROM) used in most computers for?
it is used to hold a small special piece of software: the ‘boot up’ program
what type of storage is ROM?
it is a non-volatile storage
when does ROM software usually runs?
when a computer is switched on
what is the name for the extra devices in a computer?
peripheral devices
what are peripheral devices usually categorised in?
in input, output devices and storage devices
what are input devices?
devices that pass data into the computer
what are 3 examples of input devices?
- keyboard
- mouse
- webcam
what are output devices?
they are devices that take data from the computer
what are 3 examples of output devices?
- loudspeaker
- printer
- monitor
What is secondary storage (sometimes called backing storage)?
the name of all devices that can be store data in a computer disk
what is an operating system?
a special piece of software that manages the general operation of a computer
what do operating systems provide?
a user interface so that we can interact with the computer
what do operating systems manage?
- applications that are running on the computer
- files, helping us save our work and organise our files
- the computer’s memory
- the computer’s input and output hardware
what do operating systems look after?
computer security
what is user interface?
the system people use to interact with a computer
what are the 2 user interface systems?
- Graphical User Interface (GUI)
- Command-Line Interface (CLI)
Graphical User Interface (GUI) is built around what?
visual things:
- windows
- icons
- menus
- a pointer
what are Command-Line Interface (CLI)?
a black screen full of codes
what is a mainframe computer?
a large computer used by large businesses, in government offices or by universities
what are 3 characteristics of mainframe computer?
- powerful
- large
- multi-user
what is a Personal Computer (PC)?
computers small enough that everyone could have their own
what is a Laptop Computer?
a light, compact and portable PC
what do laptops contain?
- a rechargeable battery so that they can be used even when not plugged in
- built-in LDC monitor
what do most laptops do to be as portable as possible?
- they avoid any sort of cable or wire
- instead of mouse they use a trackpad
- instead of wire connection they use wireless radio connections
what is a Palmtop Computer?
it is similar to a laptop computer but smaller, small enough to fit on you hand
why are palmtop computers usually not very powerful?
because they are too small, so it can’t fit a fast CPU battery
