Hardware and Software Notes
Hardware and Software Notes
Page 1 of 4
Name: ___________________
Class: ___________________
Date: ___________________
QUESTIONS/SUMMARIES NOTES:
What is software?
Software is a program or an application that is installed
on a computer so the computer can be used to write
papers, make scrapbooks, design, presentations, create
web sites, or play games
What are the two
categories of software?
Categories of software
Window
s
BasicfunctionsofOS
ProvideUI
Manageprocess
Manageresources
Managememory
Providesecurity
Utilitysoftwares
Veryspecifictaskanddifferfromapplicationsinsizeand
complexity.E.g.
Name: ___________________
Class: ___________________
Date: ___________________
QUESTIONS/SUMMARIES NOTES:
What are the four
categories of hardware?
What does IPOS stand for?
CategoriesofHardware
TheIPOScycleistheprocessthecomputergoesthoughto
receiveinput,,processthedata,outputadisplayoftheresults
andstoragestoretheinformationforlateruse
InputRawandunreadabledata.Mouseclick,
keyboard,touchscreenetc
Processinganexecutingprogram.Takestherawdata
andmakesitmeaningfulturningthedatatoinformation
wecanread.
OutputInformation(meaningfuldata)thatis
convertedtomeaningfulisthenoutputtoascreen,
printed
StorageCanbetemporary(volatile)orpermanent
(nonvolatile).Primary(internal)storagesuchasRAM
orsecondary(internalorexternal)storagesuchasHDD.
Secondarystorage
nonvolatilesoitiskeptuntilwedeleteoroverwriteit.
Itischeaper
EG.HDD,USB,CD
Main components of
hardware in a computer?
Outputdevices
Informationismeaningful
Eg.Printers,monitordisplay,projectrors,speakers.
Insidecomputer
MotherboardcircuitboardthatCPUispartof
CPUBrainofthecomputer
Name: ___________________
Class: ___________________
Date: ___________________
QUESTIONS/SUMMARIES NOTES:
What are expansions slots HeatsinkDrawsheatawayfromCPUandotherparts
for?
RAMStoresvolatileinformation
ROMContainsstartupsoftwareandBIOS
What is the purpose of the
Expansionslotsusedforconnectinggraphicscard,network
motherboard?
cardetc
Purpose of CPU
Purpose of RAM
Examples of expansion
cards?
Is HDD volatile?
MotherboardWhatdoesitdo?Holdsandconnectall
computercomponentsandallowsthemtocommunicateallows
powertoreachallcomponentsandholdsCPUWhatarethe5
basiccomponents?RAM,CPU,inputoutputslots(USB
Ethernetetc),expansionsslots,storagedeviceconnectors
(HDDs,opticaldrives)
CPUControlsflowofinformationbetweenothercomponents
ofcomputer.ContainsALU,controlunit,mainmemory,bus.
Busisthephysicalpathinformationiscarriedalong,
RAMRAMholdscurrentlyuseddata.Volatiledata.Clock
speedisthespeeditreadsandwritesdata.RAMmeasuredin
GB,DDR4,MHz.RAMaffectsharddrivespeedsandthe
runningtimeofanapplications.
ExpansioncardsTheyareelectriccircuitboardthataddsmore
functionalitytocomputer.Weneedthemtoaddpartsthatwill
performadditionalfunctiopns.PCIPeripheralcomponents
interconnects.Videocardsprocessandsendgraphical
information,soundscardeconomicalinputandoutputofsound.
Netweorkcardallowsaccesstoanetwork.Bluetoothallows
computertosendandreceiveviaBluetooth.
HDDdatastorage,nonvolatile.Storedonstackeddiscs
whichspinfastsothedatacanbeaccessedfromanywhereon
anydrive.Atastoredmagneticallysodataremainsafterpower
off.Defragclearsunusedspacesoharddrivecanuseitfor
storingnewdata.ExternalHDDallowmorestorage,backup,
mobilityandtransferbetweendevices.HDDcapacitymeasured
Summary/Reflection:
Name: ___________________
Class: ___________________
Date: ___________________