Chapter 1 - Computer Basics
Learning Center |
ResourcesLabel the Parts of a Computer
Build a Computer Bits into Numbers Resolution Video Great Computer Resources Information Processing Cycle BRAINPOP VIDEOS Computers History of Computers Binary AssignmentsInformation Processing Cycle on Schoology
|
Videos
System Software |
Utility Software |
Productivity Software |
Graphics Software |
Communication Software |
Home/Education/Entertainment Software |
Vocabulary
- Computer - a machine that changes information from one form into another.
- Information Processing Cycle - a series of steps a computer uses to change information from one form into another. It has four steps: input, processing, output, storage.
- Input - the raw information, or data, that is entered into a computer.
- Bit - The basic building block of a computer. It is a number in the binary system that can only be a 1 or a 0.
- Byte - a combination of 8 bits.
- Processing - The second step in the Information Processing Cycle, where the computer does something with information given to it.
- Output - The displayed result of whatever the computer processed during the processing step. Output can be visual or audio.
- Storage - The final step in the Information Processing Cycle, where the computer saves the information it has processed.
- Hardware - all the physical parts of the computer; anything on a computer you can actually touch.
- CPU (Central Processing Unit) - The brains of the computer. This device processes the data by sending electrical signals across circuits.
- Primary Storage - A temporary storage of information. Example: RAM.
- RAM (Random Access Memory) - a temporary storage place of information that allows a computer to quickly find data.
- Secondary Storage - A more permanent form of storage that is not erased when a computer is restarted.
- USB (Universal Serial Bus) - a type of port on a computer.
- Peripheral - a type of hardware that is separate from the case, but can be attached to the case. Example: keyboard, mouse, printer.
- Software - programs on a computer that tell it what to do and how to do it.
- System software - programs that help the computer function properly.
- Application software - programs that allow users to complete specific tasks.
- Operating system (OS) - a type of system software that allows hardware devices to communicate with one another and work efficiently.
- Compatibility - The ability of a file to run on multiple operating systems.
- Utility software - a type of software that does maintenance and repair jobs.
"Chapter 1." Prentice Hall Technology Applications Grade 6 Student WorkText. Ed. Dori Amtmann. Revised ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, 2008. 3-14. Print.