AQA 7517 4.7.4.2: Secondary storage devices
The free BugBot lesson that teach this point, a robot to try it on, and the past-paper questions that test it.
What it covers
At GCSE (F9.6 and F9.7) you compared RAM with ROM and magnetic, optical and solid state storage by their characteristics. At A level you must also explain how some devices work: how a barcode reader turns stripes into digits, how a camera turns light into numbers, how a laser printer puts toner on paper, and how an SSD stores bits with no moving parts. You also need to choose devices for a given problem and justify the choice, and to know what virtual storage is.
- Input and output devices
- Secondary storage
- RAM and ROM
- Virtual storage
- Choosing a device
Or do it in the simulator, with tasks that mark themselves
Lessons that teach it
- A9.9 Input, output and storage Computer architecture
How barcode readers, cameras, laser printers and RFID work; magnetic, optical and flash storage; RAM, ROM and virtual storage.
Try it on a robot
The task from A9.9 Input, output and storage, running here. Change the program and press Run.
The specification is AQA's own document; this page says which of our lessons teach point 4.7.4.2 and is not endorsed by the board.