Edexcel IGCSE Computer Science
Hardware
What is secondary storage?
o Any kind of permanent storage to which the contents of ROM/RAM are copied.
o Features;
o Permanent storage
o Non-volatile
o Slower to access
o Cheaper
o Has much storage capacity
What is magnetic storage?
o Works by making parts of substance behave like a magnet with north and south poles to
represent binary 1s and 0s.
What are Platters?
o A stack of disks.
What is a Track?
o Data recorded on each disk along circular tracks.
What is a Sector?
o Each split in to smaller parts.
o how data read is hard disk?
o The arm moves across to be above the right track.
o The required sector comes around under the head.
o The surface behaving like a magnet causes a tiny current in the head.
o The disk controller transfer this in 1s and 0s.
What is Latency?
o Refers to any kind of delay that data travelling through a network might encounter.
What is Optical storage?
o Devices such as CD and DVD devices, use patterns of light to store data on removeable
disks.
o The player uses two lasers;
o To write data- a laser is used to burn the surface of the disk, changing its form to
become more reflective or less reflective.
o Reflective areas → lands
o Less reflective area → pits
o A land represents 1 and a pit 0
o To read data
o A laser beam is shown onto the surface of the disk
o A pit reflective light more dimly than land.
o The amount of light reflected off the surface is detected by a light sensor
and translates into 1s and 0s.
What is solid-state storage?
o Portable computing devices such as mobile phones and smart watches uses solid-state
storage.
o It consists a grid of transistors.
o To write data:
o An electrical current is applied to the transistor.
o This forces electrons through a barrier, trapping them in pools.
o A full pool represents 0 and an empty pool 1.
o To read data:
o A small voltage is applied, if the electron pool is empty, the transistor turns on and
1 is read out.
o If it is full, the transistor does not turn on and 0 is read out.
Comparison of different storage technologies
Used in Advantages Disadvantages
Magnetic o Internal / o High capacity o Has moving
external hard o Fast data parts that will
disk drive access eventually fail
o Tape drives o Noisy
Optical o CD, DVD and o Portable o Slow to access
Blu ray drives o Disk is cheap
Solid-state o USB sticks o Very fast data o Relatively
o SSD cards access expensive
o Mobile o No moving o Has a limited
devices parts number of
o Low power read-write
cycles.
o Cloud storage;
o Often belonging to a third party that is accessed via network usually the internet
and so is not the same physical place as the machine RAM/ROM.
o File stored in the cloud can be accessed from anywhere via an internet.
o E.g.: - Google Drive, Dropbox
o Advantages;
o Access the data from anywhere on many devices using a web browser.
o Data is securely backup by the company providing the storage device.
o Don’t need to transfer data if you get a new computer.
What is a file server?
o Computers that share their secondary storage across a network.
o Two storage types:
o Network attached storage (NAS)- hard disk are able to connect directly.
o Storage area network (SAN)- others connect to several servers
o Advantage:
o Not lose access to your data
What is Virtualization?
o Process that hides the true physical nature of a computing resource, making it look
different, usually to simplify the way it is accessed.
What is embedded system?
o One that is designed to do specific task.
o Washing machine
o TV box
o Games console
o Traffic lights
o Toaster
o Toys
o Features:
o Cheap
o Low power devices
o Simple technology
o Limited memory
o Runs one program which is rarely updated
o Stored permanently in firmware (ROM)
What is Internet of Things (IOT)?
o Interconnection of digital devices embedded in everyday objects.
o Uses:
o Printer in school might automatically order new toner when it is low
o Electricity meter might send readings straight to the supplier via the internet
o You might be able to control your central heating from your smartphone.
