Input, Output and Storage

Question 1

Input Device

Answer 1

Feeds information from the outside world into a computer

Question 2

Output Device

Answer 2

Feeds information from a computer out to the outside world

Question 3

Storage Device

Answer 3

Provides a space to store information either on a short term or long term basis

Question 4

Types of Input Devices (there’s 8)

Answer 4

Concept keyboard, trackball, joystick, video digitiser, barcode reader, magnetic strip reader, magnetic ink character reader, optical mark reader

Question 5

Types of output devices (there’s 4)

Answer 5

plotter, screen reader, braille printer, haptic feedback

Question 6

Magnetic storage devices

Answer 6

• computer data is represented as a series of OFF (zero) and ON (one) values
• the zeros and ones can be encoded by charging a magnetic particle as a north up or a south charge up
• the read/write head is used to charge the state of a magnetic particle

Question 7

Magnetic Storage Devices - Hard Drive

Answer 7

Platter - Coated in magnetic particles and is spun at high speeds (5400rpm, 7200rpm, 10000rpm or 15000rpm)

the read/write head is attached to an actuator arm

the actuator is a sensitive motor which can move the head to any place on the platter

its the actuator that makes the clicking noise you sometimes hear

magnetic hard drives are said to provide random data access as they can quickly access any part of the platter rather than waiting for it to be spooled

Question 8

Virtual Storage

Answer 8

Virtual storage can also refer to the abstraction or separation of logical storage from physical storage
Storing and retrieving data from cloud storage rather than on a local device
More popular due to increase network speeds

Question 9

Virtual Storage +/-

Answer 9

+ data accessed anywhere - as long as there is a connection
+ easy to share data
+ storage can be seen as limitless

• expensive of monthly costs
• poor connection will mean slow retrieval of files
• can’t access without internet connection

Question 10

Magnetic storage device - Hard drive advantages

Answer 10

Cost - A modern 4TB hard drive can be purchased for about £100. this is one of the lowest costs per byte of any storage device

Speed - Quicker than most storage devices, except for flash memory

Reliability - Data is generally kept safe for several years of constant use

Question 11

Magnetic storage device - Hard drive disadvantages

Answer 11

Heat - As there is a high speed motor spinning the platter this generates heat as waste energy. this can potentially cause issues for computers and wastes electricity (and money). In data centres extra cooling is required to prevent over heating

Size - Size of platter and actuator makes it a larger than flash memory

Noise - Due to motor and actuator

Fragility - sensitive to being dropped and the read / write head can impact the platter and scratch the surface