7.1.2

• What is an input device?

  A piece of hardware used to provide data to a computer used for interaction and control.
• What is an output device?

  Any peripheral that receives data from a computer usually for display, projection, or physical reproduction. 
• What is the CPU?

  The core component of a computing device – brain of a computer.
• What are the parts of the CPU?


  ALU (carries out arithmetic and logic operations), FPU (A specialized co-processor that manipulates numbers), Registers (Holds instructions and other data), Cache (Hardware or software used to store data temporarily)
• What are the 4 functions of the CPU?

  Fetch, Decode, Execute, Write back
• What is ROM?

  Read Only Memory is memory that cant be changed by a user or a program. It retains its data even after a computer is turned off.
• What is RAM?


  Random Access Memory is a fast type of memory in which programs, applications and data are stored.
• What is secondary storage?


  Non-volatile, long term storage.
• What is solid state storage?

  Special type of storage made from silicon microchips. It can be written to and overwritten like RAM. However, unlike RAM, it is non-volatile, which means that when the computers power is switched off, solid state storage will retain its contents.
• What is a magnetic storage device (HDD)?

  Storage devices that consist of a number of platters (disks) coated in a magnetic material. They spin at around 7200 rpm (revolutions per minute). Data is encoded into bits and written to the surface.
• What are drawbacks of magnetic storage devices?

  can be bulky and heavy, motors can break if dropped, have high power requirements, can become fragmented and this slows down access time, can run gigabytes of data.
• What is a server farm?


  A set of many servers interconnected together and housed within the same physical facility.
• What is the benefit of using a server farm?


  Combined computing power of many servers by simultaneously executing one or more applications or services.
• What is a motherboard?


  The main circuit board inside a computer that connects the different parts of a computer together. 

   
• What is the purpose of a sensor?


  Their purpose is to automate a task.
• What is a sensor?

  A device which detects or measures physical property and records, indicates or otherwise responds to it.
• What is the process of liquid cooling?

  Liquid cooling gel or water is pumped through a pipe. As the liquid passes through the heat sink, heat is transferred from the hot processor to the cooler liquid. The hot liquid then moves out to a radiator at the back of the case and transfers the heat to the ambient air outside the case.