A computer with nothing plugged in
Switch on a computer with no screen, keyboard or mouse. It runs, but you cannot see or do anything.
The things you add to a computer are what make it useful. In this lesson you sort them by what they do.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can sort peripherals into input, output, and both, and pick wired or wireless for a user.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Peripheral | a device you connect to a computer | |
| Input device | sends data into the computer | |
| Output device | shows or plays what the computer sends out | |
| Wired | joined to the computer by a cable | |
| Wireless | joined with no cable, using radio signals | |
| Pointing device | moves a pointer on the screen | mouse |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Input goes in, output comes out
An input device sends data in. A keyboard sends letters. A microphone sends sound. A webcam sends video.
An output device shows or plays something. A monitor shows pictures. Speakers play sound. A printer puts words on paper.
Common peripherals
| Peripheral | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard | Input | Types letters, numbers and commands |
| Mouse or touchpad | Input | Moves a pointer and clicks |
| Scanner | Input | Turns a paper page into a file |
| Microphone | Input | Records your voice |
| Webcam | Input | Sends video for calls |
| Monitor | Output | Shows the picture |
| Printer | Output | Prints on paper |
| Speakers | Output | Play sound |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Some devices do both
A touchscreen shows a picture, so it is output. It also feels your finger, so it is input. It is both.
A smart TV is similar. It shows video, and it takes input from a remote or from your voice. A device that does both is an input and output device.
A common mistake
Warning
Many people think a printer is an input device because you press buttons on it. Ask which way the main data goes. A printer takes data from the computer and puts it on paper. That is output.