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Assignment 1: Lifting the Lid

After watching “Lifting the Lid” complete these problems. When done, attach to your online portfolio and complete the “Please Grade” form. (Be sure to enter your name on the line provided in the Header. To get to the header, double click in the top margin. To get out, double click below the margin.

  1. The is another name for the computer’s microprocessor and is often referred to as the “brains of the computer.”
  2. Increasing what type of memory will have the greatest impact on computer performance?
  3. What is RAM?
  4. Using the Snipping Tool (Start > Snipping Tool) Copy and paste an image of each port and connector in the space provided. To shrink the image, drag a corner towards the middle of the image. To crop an image, use the Crop tool on the Picture Tools, Format Ribbon. In the Classroom? Column, enter Yes or No if these ports are on our classroom computers.

Classroom? / Port (socket) / Connector
USB 2.0 a (Universal Serial Bus)
USB3.0a (faster than USB 2.0) View this video to understand the difference.

USB 2.0 b (Universal Serial Bus)
USB 3.0 b (faster than USB 2.0)
Firewire (type 1, 2, or B)
DisplayPort
Serial (older computers to connect serial devices such as scanners. Replaced by USB)
Parallel(on older computers to connect printers. Replaced by USB)
Ethernet (RJ 45 Network cable)
HDMI (TV or high definition monitor) Transmits video and sound.
VGA (monitor)
DVI (Digital Video Interface) transmits video, but not sound.
Microphone
Speaker
PS/2 (Keyboard)
PS/2 (Mouse)
Parallel ATA cable (hard drive) Also known as IDE—old
SATA Cable (hard drive—new)
  1. What is the place on your computer where the operating system, application programs and data in current use are stored temporarily (ie as long as the computer is running) for quick access by the computer’s microprocessor?
  2. Hard drive
  3. Read Only Memory (ROM)
  4. Diskette or floppy disk drive
  5. Random Access Memory (RAM)
  6. Flash drive
  7. External hard drive
  8. What is the place on your computer where the operating system, application programs are installed, and where your data is often saved?
  9. Hard drive
  10. Read Only Memory (ROM)
  11. Diskette or floppy disk drive
  12. Random Access Memory (RAM)
  13. Flash drive
  14. External hard drive
  15. What types of storage media can be damaged by magnets?
  16. Optical Storage (CDs and DVDs)
  17. Hard Drives
  18. Diskettes
  19. Flash Drives
  20. Solid State Drives
  21. Backup Tape
  1. How can scratches and dirt damage Optical Storage (CDs and DVDs)?
  1. Match answer to its example of the computers’ “three step process.”

Step / Example / Answer Bank for Examples
Input / Displaying sums on the screen
Process / Typing numbers into a spreadsheet
Output / Using formulas to calculate the sum of numbers
  1. Copy/paste images of these storage devices. Crop and resize as necessary.

Storage Image / Storage Name
External Hard Drive
CD Rom or DVD
Flash Drive
RAM
3 ½ inch Floppy Diskette
Internal Hard Drive
  1. Briefly describe RAM, ROM, and the Hard Drive. Which one is volatile (will have unsaved content removed if the computer is turned off)

Term / Definition / Volatile?
(yes or no)
ROM
RAM
Hard Drive