Computer hardware

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/computer-hardware

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the first general-purpose electronic computer?ENIAC, operational in 1945
2. What is the key component evolution?Vacuum tubes -> Transistors -> Integrated Circuits -> Microprocessors
3. What are the main parts inside a computer?Inside a computer are the CPU, the brain that does calculations; RAM, the short‑term memory; storage drives like HDDs or SSDs that keep files; a GPU that draws pictures; and a motherboard that connects everything together.
4. Why did computers get smaller over time?Computers became smaller because new inventions like the transistor, then integrated circuits, and later the microprocessor let many tiny parts fit on one chip, using less power and taking up less space.

Integrated Circuit (IC): A miniaturized electronic circuit fabricated on a semiconductor material, often called a chip.
Microprocessor: An IC that contains the central processing unit of a computer.
Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle: The fundamental operation cycle of a CPU, retrieving, interpreting, and performing instructions.
Solid State Drive (SSD): A storage device using integrated circuits to store data, offering faster access than HDDs.