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KS3 Computer Science

Computer Hardware

59 questions6 subtopics
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What's covered

Input Devices10
Output Devices10
RAM and ROM10
Secondary Storage — Hard Disks and SSDs10
What the CPU Does10
Inside a Computer — Motherboard, PSU, GPU9

Key facts

1

An input device is a piece of hardware that sends data into the computer.

2

The CPU plugs into a socket on the motherboard.

3

Headphones are a personal sound output device.

4

When a program launches it is copied from secondary storage into RAM, where the CPU can run it.

5

HDDs are cheaper per gigabyte than SSDs, which is why they are still used for bulk backup storage.

6

The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) is a part of the CPU.

7

A keyboard is an input device used for typing.

8

A dedicated (discrete) GPU gives better performance for games, 3D applications and video editing than relying on integrated graphics.

9

The main difference between input and output is the direction of data flow: input sends data to the CPU; output sends data from the CPU.

10

RAM stands for Random Access Memory.

Sample questions

A taste of the 59 questions in this topic — answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.

1Input Devices

What is an input device?

  • Displays results from the computer
  • Processes instructions inside the CPU
  • Sends data into the computer
  • Stores files permanently on disk
2Inside a Computer — Motherboard, PSU, GPU

What does PSU stand for?

  • Peripheral storage unit
  • Power supply unit
  • Primary system utility
  • Processor speed unit
3Output Devices

Which is a visual output device?

  • Keyboard for typing input
  • Microphone for sound input
  • Monitor for showing images
  • Mouse for pointing input
4RAM and ROM

What does RAM stand for?

  • Random access memory
  • Rapid arithmetic module
  • Read-only access memory
  • Removable application memory
5Secondary Storage — Hard Disks and SSDs

Which uses spinning platters?

  • Hard disk drive (HDD)
  • RAM module inside the case
  • ROM chip on the motherboard
  • Solid state drive (SSD)
6What the CPU Does

What does CPU stand for?

  • Cache processing unit
  • Central processing unit
  • Computer power unit
  • Core program utility

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