Computer components

IT skills: noneIT concepts: computer components (input devices, output devices, memory, storage and CPU), information flow between them, program file and data files, embedded system, general purpose computer, RAM vs. ROM vs flash memory, technology trends

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Where does this topic fit?

• Internet concepts– Applications– Technology– Implications

• Internet skills– Application development– Content creation– User skills

Computer components

Memory

CPU

Storage devices(programs and data)

Inputdevices

OutputDevices

Input devices

Output devices

Storage devices

CPU and Memory

Computer components – information flow

Memory

CPU

Storage devices(programs and data)

Inputdevices

OutputDevices

The Internet is a very large, slow storage device

A relatively slow link

The Internet(programs and data)

Things with computers inside (embedded)

Sensors

General purpose computer

Special purpose computer

Programs in volatile, random access memory (RAM)

Programs in fixed, read only memory (ROM)

Computer components

Memory

CPU

Storage devices(programs and data)

Inputdevices

OutputDevices

Questions

1. Without looking back, can you name the five functional components of a computer system?

2. Can you reproduce our diagram of a computer system, showing the direction information flows between components?

3. Which is faster, the connection between memory and the CPU or between memory and a keyboard?

4. What limits the rate of information transfer between a keyboard and memory?5. Can information coming from an input device like a keyboard go straight to

storage or a display without passing through memory?6. What are the differences between ROM and RAM?7. Name the input devices on an Apple iPad computer.8. What are the capacities of your computer’s memory and storage? Which is

largest?9. High capacity is desirable for a storage device. What other factors need to be

considered in characterizing a storage device?10. What is the cost trend for memory, storage and CPU chips?11. We said that digital cameras are embedded computer systems. What are the

input, output, and storage devices in a digital camera?12. We talked of sensors for measuring temperature and acceleration. What other

type of sensors are found in today’s computer systems?