Hi there, young learners! Welcome back to Primary 3 Basic Science & Technology. In our previous lesson, we learned about the Components of a System Unit. Today, we’re going to learn about some more components of a system unit, specifically Floppy Disks and CD ROM Drives.
Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
- Identify and describe the functions of floppy disks and CD ROM drives.
- Show appreciation for the evolution of data storage devices.
- Discuss in groups how these components influenced data sharing and storage in the past.
Components Of A System Unit – Floppy Disks and CD ROM Drive
There are two important parts of a computer: Floppy Disks and CD ROM Drives.
What is a Floppy Disk?
Floppy disks are old data storage devices that were used to store and share computer data. They look like small square plates and can hold up to 1.44 MB of data. They were commonly used in the past to save documents, programs, and other files. Some of the main uses of floppy disks include:
- Saving and loading files on computers.
- Sharing files between computers.
- Installing software.
- Storing backups of important data.
What is a CD ROM Drive?
CD stands for Compact Disc. CD ROM drives are used to read data stored on CDs. They can hold much more data than floppy disks, up to 700 MB. They were commonly used for storing music, movies, and software. Some of the main uses of CD ROM drives include:
- Playing music and videos.
- Installing software.
- Storing data backups.
- Sharing large files.
Evaluation Questions
Now that you’ve learned about floppy disks and CD ROM drives, let’s see if you can answer these questions:
- What is a floppy disk and what was it used for?
- Describe what a CD ROM drive is and its purpose.
- Explain how floppy disks and CD ROM drives have changed how we store data.
- What are some other ways we store data today?
- Why do you think floppy disks and CD ROM drives are not used as much anymore?
Conclusions or Summary
Today, we learned about floppy disks and CD ROM drives, which are important components of a computer system unit. We learned that they were used to store and share data, but they are not as common today because of newer technologies. Don’t forget to check the comments section if you have any questions, and use the navigation to move to the next lesson. See you in the next lesson!
