MskProdComputing

Year 7 · Y7.4 Understanding Computers · Lesson 1

Stretch tasks Inside the computer

Task 1

Quiz Challenge

A quiz game against four computer players, then short and long written answers.

  1. Quiz Blitz12 questions against the clock
  2. Quick Fire4 short answers
  3. Big Think2 long answers

About 20 minutes

Task 2

This or That

Pixel the cat asks 8 questions. Each has two answers: pick the right one.

  • Two answers to every question
  • A fish treat for every right answer
  • Streaks win Pixel shades, then a party hat

About 4 minutes

Task 3

Memory Match

Flip the cards two at a time to match each component card to its job card.

  • 12 cards: each component has a job
  • One peek at every card
  • Combo points for pairs found in a row

6 pairs, about 4 minutes

The games need JavaScript. Every question is below, with the answers at the end.

Read the lesson: Inside the computer

Inside the computer: the questions

Quiz Challenge, round 1: Quiz Blitz

  1. Which component processes all the instructions?

    • RAM
    • Hard drive
    • Power supply
    • CPU

  2. What happens to RAM when the power goes off?

    • It is saved to the hard drive
    • It is sent to the printer
    • Nothing: it keeps everything
    • It is wiped

  3. An SSD keeps your files even when the computer is switched off.

    • True
    • False

  4. Put the CPU's three steps in order.

    Number these 1 to 3.

    • Decode
    • Execute
    • Fetch

  5. What does a clock speed of 3 GHz mean?

    • Three billion cycles every second
    • Three thousand cycles every second
    • Three cores
    • Three gigabytes of memory

  6. What is the motherboard?

    • The screen
    • The power cable
    • The main circuit board everything plugs into
    • The part that stores files

  7. Which part matters most for games and video editing?

    • The power supply
    • The keyboard
    • The USB ports
    • The graphics card

  8. Buying more storage will speed up a computer that is slow because it has too little RAM.

    • True
    • False

  9. How many cores does a quad core CPU have?

    • 4
    • 2
    • 8
    • 1

  10. Which TWO statements about RAM are true?

    Tick 2.

    • It holds the programs being used right now
    • It is wiped when the power goes
    • It keeps files forever
    • It is slower than a hard drive
    • It converts mains electricity

  11. What does CPU stand for? Three words.

  12. Why might a quad core CPU not run a program four times faster than one core?

    • Cores can only store data
    • The program may not be written to use all four cores
    • Extra cores slow the clock down
    • Only one core can ever be switched on

Quiz Challenge, round 2: Quick Fire

  1. Explain the difference between RAM and storage. [2 marks]

  2. Describe what the CPU does in the fetch, decode, execute cycle. [3 marks]

  3. What does clock speed measure? [2 marks]

  4. Why does a computer need a power supply? [2 marks]

Quiz Challenge, round 3: Big Think

  1. A friend's computer is slow when lots of programs are open. They plan to buy a bigger hard drive. Explain why this may not help and what would help more. [4 marks]

  2. Describe the job of each main component inside a computer. [6 marks]

This or That: tick the right answer

  1. Which is wiped when the power goes off?

    • RAM
    • SSD

  2. What is the first step of the CPU's cycle?

    • Fetch
    • Execute

  3. Which CPU completes more cycles every second?

    • 3.5 GHz
    • 2.1 GHz

  4. Which part does the calculating?

    • CPU
    • Motherboard

  5. Your game is jerky when lots of things move on screen. Which upgrade helps most?

    • A better graphics card
    • A bigger hard drive

  6. What does decode mean?

    • Working out what the instruction means
    • Carrying out the instruction

  7. Does a quad core CPU always run everything four times faster?

    • No, only when the software uses all four
    • Yes, every single time

  8. Where are your saved photos kept while the computer is off?

    • In RAM
    • On the hard drive or SSD

Memory Match: match each component to its job

ComponentJob
A CPU1 Stores files permanently
B RAM2 Converts mains electricity
C SSD3 Holds what is being used right now
D Motherboard4 Processes the instructions
E Power supply5 Handles images and video
F Graphics card6 The main circuit board
Answers

Round 1: Quiz Blitz

  1. CPU The CPU is the brain: it processes the instructions and does all the calculating.
  2. It is wiped RAM is temporary. It is emptied when the power goes.
  3. True Storage such as an SSD or a hard drive is permanent.
  4. Fetch → Decode → Execute Fetch the next instruction, decode it, then execute it, billions of times a second.
  5. Three billion cycles every second Clock speed counts cycles per second, and giga means billion.
  6. The main circuit board everything plugs into Every component plugs into, and communicates through, the motherboard.
  7. The graphics card The graphics card handles images and video.
  8. False RAM and storage are different. More storage gives room for files, not more working memory.
  9. 4 Quad means four: four complete processing units.
  10. It holds the programs being used right now; It is wiped when the power goes RAM is fast, temporary working memory.
  11. central processing unit CPU is the Central Processing Unit.
  12. The program may not be written to use all four cores Extra cores only help when the software is written to share its work between them.

Round 2: Quick Fire

    • RAM is temporary and is wiped when the power goes
    • Storage is permanent and keeps files when the computer is off
    • RAM is faster
    Model answer

    RAM is temporary: it holds what is being used right now and is wiped when the power goes. Storage is permanent and keeps files even when the computer is switched off.

    • Fetch: it gets the next instruction from memory
    • Decode: it works out what the instruction means
    • Execute: it carries out the instruction
    • It repeats this billions of times a second
    Model answer

    The CPU fetches, which means it gets the next instruction from memory. It decodes it, working out what the instruction means. Then it executes it, carrying out the instruction. It repeats this billions of times a second.

    • How many cycles happen each second
    • For example, 3 GHz is three billion each second
    Model answer

    Clock speed measures how many fetch, decode, execute cycles happen each second. 3 GHz means three billion every second.

    • It converts mains electricity
    • Into the low voltages the parts need
    Model answer

    The power supply converts mains electricity into the low voltages that the computer's parts need.

Round 3: Big Think

    • Open programs are held in RAM
    • With lots of programs open the RAM fills up
    • A bigger hard drive only stores more files, so it does not speed up running programs
    • Buying more RAM would help
    • A faster processor or more cores could also help
    Model answer

    Open programs are held in RAM, the computer's working memory. With lots of programs open, the RAM fills up and the computer slows down. A bigger hard drive only stores more files, so it does not speed up running programs. Buying more RAM would help more, and a faster processor with more cores could help too.

    • The CPU processes the instructions
    • RAM holds the programs and data in use right now
    • The hard drive or SSD stores files permanently
    • The motherboard connects everything together
    • The power supply provides the right voltages
    • The graphics card handles images and video
    • The CPU fetches, decodes and executes instructions
    Model answer

    The CPU is the brain: it processes every instruction, fetching, decoding and executing them. RAM holds the programs and data being used right now, but it is wiped when the power goes. The hard drive or SSD stores files permanently. The motherboard is the main circuit board that everything plugs into. The power supply converts electricity into low voltages, and the graphics card handles images and video.

This or That

  1. RAM RAM is temporary working memory. An SSD keeps files permanently.
  2. Fetch Fetch, decode, execute: an instruction must be fetched first.
  3. 3.5 GHz Clock speed measures cycles per second, so the bigger number is faster.
  4. CPU The CPU does the calculating. The motherboard connects the parts together.
  5. A better graphics card The graphics card handles images and video. A bigger drive only stores more files.
  6. Working out what the instruction means Decode works out the meaning. Execute actually does it.
  7. No, only when the software uses all four Extra cores only help when the software is written to share the work between them.
  8. On the hard drive or SSD Storage is permanent. RAM is emptied when the power goes.

Memory Match

  • A 4 CPU: Processes the instructions
  • B 3 RAM: Holds what is being used right now
  • C 1 SSD: Stores files permanently
  • D 6 Motherboard: The main circuit board
  • E 2 Power supply: Converts mains electricity
  • F 5 Graphics card: Handles images and video