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Year 9 Notes

The document discusses the main components of a computer system. It explains that hardware refers to the physical parts of a computer like keyboards, monitors, and storage devices. Software refers to the programs and instructions that control the hardware. The central processing unit (CPU) acts as the computer's brain and works with memory chips like ROM and RAM to run programs and store data. Input and output devices allow the computer to receive and display information.

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18 views29 pages

Year 9 Notes

The document discusses the main components of a computer system. It explains that hardware refers to the physical parts of a computer like keyboards, monitors, and storage devices. Software refers to the programs and instructions that control the hardware. The central processing unit (CPU) acts as the computer's brain and works with memory chips like ROM and RAM to run programs and store data. Input and output devices allow the computer to receive and display information.

Uploaded by

olivecresent6
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ICT Notes

HARDWARE &
SOFTWARE
• All ICT systems consists of two main parts:

– Hardware

– Software
Hardware

• Hardware means those parts of the computer you can


touch.

• This means that they are components such as;

– Printer
– Keyboards
– Memory
– Storage devices etc.

• Even the storage media is classed as hardware.


Software

• Software means the programs that supply the


instructions to the hardware to tell it what to do.

– “the actual programs consisting of instructions that


allow the hardware to do a useful job”.

• For example;

– Operating system
• MS Windows, Apple Mac, Red Hat etc.

– Application Software
• MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint etc.
Examples of Computer Hardware

• Hardware consists of the physical components of an


ICT system.
– Keyboard
– Monitor
– Processor
– Speakers
– Mouse
– Fixed hard disks
– ROM/RAM
– Printer
– Web cam
Examples of Computer Software

• The software is the set of instructions that tells the


computer hardware what to do.

• Computer software is written in a computer language


and there are quite a few different ones.

• Computer hardware is useless without software.

• There are two main types:


– Operating Systems
– Applications Software
Examples of Computer Software

• Operating systems
• Word-processing package
• Presentation package
• Spreadsheet package
• Web browser
• Database
• CAD
• Web design package
• Photo editing package
Main components of General-Purpose Computer
• The main components of a general-purpose computer
are:

– Input devices (keyboard, mouse, etc)

– Output devices (printer, monitor, speakers, etc)

– Secondary storage devices (DVD-R, Hard disks, etc)

– Processor and Internal memory devices


• The Processor and Internal memory devices include
the;

– Central Processing Unit (CPU),

– Read Only Memory (ROM),

– Random Access Memory (RAM)


Central Processing Unit (CPU)

• The CPU, often the Processor, is the brain of the


computer;

– and it consists of millions of tiny circuits on a silicon


chip.
• CPU functions:

– The CPU controls the step-by-step running of the


computer system

– It does all the calculations and

– Perform all the logical operations and

– Deals with the storage of data and programs in


memory.
Internal Memory (ROM / RAM)

• There are two types of memory called ROM & RAM.

• Both these two types of memory are stored on chips


and are available immediately to the CPU.

• Memory (i.e. ROM & RAM) is often called primary


storage.
ROM (Read Only Memory)

• ROM is the fast permanent memory used for holding


instructions needed to start up the computer.

• ROM is:

– Held on a computer chip.

– Called non-volatile memory because it does not lose


its contents when the power is turned off.
– Used to hold instructions to start the computer, which
are called the boot program or BIOS (Basic Input/Out
System).

• It is the job BIOS to find out which devices are connected to


the computer when it is first switched on and also loads the
operating system.

– ROM is used to store data that cannot be altered by


the user.
RAM (Random Access Memory)

• RAM is a fast temporary memory where programs and


data are stored only when the power is supplied.

• RAM is:
– Held on a computer chip

– Called volatile memory because the contents


disappear when the power is turned off.

– Can be written to and read from

– Can be altered by the user

– Holds the software currently in use by the user


RAM
The Importance of ROM & RAM

• Having a large amount of ROM and RAM in a


computer is important, because having more memory
means:

– Applications run faster on their own

– More applications are able to run at the same time

– Users are able to move quickly between applications.


Input devices

• These are used to get raw data into the computer ready
for processing by the CPU.

• Some input devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, touch


screen, microphone, etc are manual and need to be
operated by a human.

• Other are automatic and once they are set up they can
be left to input the data on their own.

– These include optical mark readers, optical character


readers, etc.
Output devices

• Once the raw data has been processed it becomes


information and this information needs to be output
from the computer using an output device.

• Output devices include monitors/screens, printers,


speakers, plotters, etc.
Backing Storage

• Secondary storage devices use removable media.

• Secondary/backing storage is used for the storage of


programs and data that are not needed instantly by the
computer.

• It is also used for long-term storage of programs and


data as well as for backup copies in case the original
data is lost.
• Secondary/backing storage media includes

– portable hard disks,


– magnetic tape,
– memory sticks,
– flash memory cards, and
– optical disks such as CD and DVD.

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