Answer Key: Introduction to Computers
Answer Key: Introduction to Computers Worksheet
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The abacus, Stonehenge and the slide rule are all examples of non-electronic calculating devices
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Early computers used vacuum tubes as switches. These switches made early computers big, hot flakey and expensive
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Modern computers use switches called transistors. Most transistors are made of silicon.
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When many transistors are integrated onto a silicon piece of silicon, this is called an integrated circuit (technical name) or computer chip (common name)
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Input – mouse, keyboard, microphone, scanner
Output – screen, speakers, printer
Processor – microprocessor
Storage – hard drive, CD/DVD drive, RAM, ROM, Flash
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Storage drives have a rotating storage disk – hard drive (magnet disk), DVD drive (optical disk)
Memory chips are rectangles of silicon that have no moving parts – RAM, ROM or Flash
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RAM – software
ROM – firmware
Flash – software or firmware
