Years 7–8 Digital Systems Definitions Worksheet: Hardware for particular tasks (Modules 4–19)
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Date:
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Key terms
Write what each term means, in your own words.
1
Clock speed (GHz)
2
CPU core
3
SSD (solid state drive)
4
KB, MB, GB, TB
5
bottleneck
6
specification sheet
7
modest specs
8
Editing hardware
9
Gaming hardware
10
hardware recommendation
Answer Key
Years 7–8 Digital Systems · Modules 4–19 · Student wording will vary for definitions
1Clock speed (GHz) — How many billions of cycles per second a CPU can run. A higher GHz usually means faster single tasks, but it is not the only measure of speed.
2CPU core — One processing unit inside a CPU. A dual-core, quad-core or octa-core CPU has 2, 4 or 8 cores, so it can work on separate tasks at the same time.
3SSD (solid state drive) — Storage with no moving parts. It reads and writes data much faster than an HDD, so computers boot and load quicker. It is tougher but usually costs more per GB.
4KB, MB, GB, TB — Units of storage size built on the byte. Each unit is about 1000 times bigger than the one before: 1 KB, then 1 MB, then 1 GB, then 1 TB. Use them to check if files fit on a drive.
5bottleneck — The slowest part of a computer system, which limits how fast the whole system can work, like a slow hard drive or too little RAM holding back a fast CPU.
6specification sheet — A list of a device's parts and their ratings, like CPU model, GHz, cores, RAM, storage type and size, and GPU. Use it to find each spec and compare two devices side by side.
7modest specs — Browsing, word processing and slides need only a modest CPU, enough RAM for a few open apps, and little storage, so a light laptop with good battery life works well.
8Editing hardware — The parts a computer needs to edit images and video: a strong CPU, a dedicated GPU, lots of RAM and large fast storage, so big files open and render quickly.
9Gaming hardware — A gaming computer relies most on a powerful GPU, plus enough RAM and a fast CPU, to keep the frame rate smooth. An SSD cuts load times and good cooling stops overheating.
10hardware recommendation — A hardware choice backed by reasons: name the task, pick the specs that matter for it, and explain why they fit the budget, often by comparing two options.