← IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1

Speaker

An output device that turns an electrical signal into sound. An electromagnet makes a cone vibrate, and the vibrations make sound waves. A DAC first converts digital sound to analogue.

Part of: IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 3.2 Input and Output Devices — Module 29, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 3 — Interactions Between Users, Data and Digital Systems — Module 86

Understanding Speaker in IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1

What it does: Sound is stored as digital data, but the speaker needs an analogue electrical signal, so the DAC converts it first. A speaker sends sound out to the user, so it is an output device. A microphone is the matching input device. The cone vibrates and pushes the air to make sound waves. A lens belongs to a camera or projector. The changing electrical signal makes the electromagnet move the cone backwards and forwards.

Common mistakes: In a speaker the electromagnet moves the cone, not a screen. The line should be: electromagnet MOVES cone. The cone has to vibrate to make sound waves. If it stayed still there would be no sound. It should be: cone VIBRATES.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 273–282) and word search (Modules 262–282).

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Learning
Duo
What type of device is a speaker?
An input deviceAn output device
Matches
speaker.play(digitalSound)
↓
The speaker is sent digital data directly. It needs an analogue signal, so a DAC must convert the digital sound first.
Applying
Meanings
Term
speaker
Meaning
An output device that turns an electrical signal into sound. An electromagnet makes a cone vibrate, and the vibrations make sound waves. A DAC first converts digital sound to analogue.
Practice
digitalSound ← READ("alert.wav")
Testing
Gaps
A speaker is an device
Check Answer
Spots
3SEND signal TO speaker
4electromagnet MOVES screen

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Quick Questions

1. What type of device is a speaker?
A. An input device
B. An output device ✓
A speaker sends sound out to the user, so it is an output device. A microphone is the matching input device.
2. What does a speaker turn an electrical signal into?
A. Sound waves ✓
B. Light waves
The electrical signal makes the cone vibrate, and the vibrations create sound waves that we can hear.
3. Which part of a speaker vibrates to make the sound waves?
A. The lens
B. The cone ✓
The cone vibrates and pushes the air to make sound waves. A lens belongs to a camera or projector.
4. What makes the speaker cone move?
A. An electromagnet ✓
B. A laser beam
The changing electrical signal makes the electromagnet move the cone backwards and forwards.
5. Digital sound from a computer must be converted before a speaker can use it. Which converter does this?
A. Digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) ✓
B. Analogue-to-digital converter (ADC)
A DAC changes digital sound data into an analogue signal. An ADC does the opposite, which is used for sensors and microphones.

Match the Pairs

speaker.play(signal) → The speaker takes an electrical signal and turns it into sound waves that we can hear
cone.vibrate() → The speaker cone moves back and forth, pushing the air to make sound waves
A digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) changes stored digital sound into an analogue signal before it reaches the speaker → analogue = DAC(digitalSound)
An electromagnet in the speaker moves the cone when the electrical signal flows through it → electromagnet.move(cone, analogue)
speaker.play(digitalSound) → The speaker is sent digital data directly. It needs an analogue signal, so a DAC must convert the digital sound first.
speaker = input device that records sound → A speaker is an output device that produces sound. A microphone is the input device that records sound.

Key Term

speaker
An output device that turns an electrical signal into sound. An electromagnet makes a cone vibrate, and the vibrations make sound waves. A DAC first converts digital sound to analogue.

Fill in the Blanks

1. A speaker is an output device
Hint: Type whether a speaker is an input or output device.
2. Digital sound -> DAC -> analogue signal
Hint: Type the abbreviation for the converter that changes digital sound to analogue.
3. An electromagnet moves the cone
Hint: Type the part that uses the electrical signal to move the cone.
4. Cone vibrations make sound waves
Hint: Type what the vibrations of the cone create in the air.
5. Uses: music, alerts and voice output
Hint: Type the kind of output a speaker gives when a computer talks to you.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A digital ← READ_FILE(song)
B signal ← DAC(digital)
C SEND signal TO speaker
D electromagnet MOVES screen
Line D — In a speaker the electromagnet moves the cone, not a screen. The line should be: electromagnet MOVES cone.
Question 2
A signal ← DAC(digital_sound)
B SEND signal TO speaker
C cone STAYS STILL
D OUTPUT sound_waves
Line C — The cone has to vibrate to make sound waves. If it stayed still there would be no sound. It should be: cone VIBRATES.
Question 3
A signal ← ADC(digital_sound)
B electromagnet ← ON(signal)
C cone VIBRATES
D OUTPUT sound_waves
Line A — A DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) is needed here. An ADC converts analogue to digital, which is the wrong direction. It should be DAC.
Question 4
A INPUT alert_sound
B analogue ← COPY(alert_sound)
C SEND analogue TO speaker
D OUTPUT beep
Line B — Copying the data does not convert it. The digital alert sound must go through a DAC to become an analogue signal. It should be: analogue ← DAC(alert_sound).
Question 5
A speaker.type ← "input"
B speaker.part ← "cone"
C speaker.makes ← "sound"
Line A — A speaker is an output device because it sends sound out to the user. It should be: speaker.type ← "output".

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