Inside the Computer: Processor, Memory & Storage
The processor, memory (RAM) and storage, the chop bar kitchen, KB to TB, kinds of storage and why computers slow down.
⌨️ Start with your 10-minute typing warm-upBy the end, you will be able to:
- Explain what the processor, memory (RAM) and storage each do, and why unsaved work is lost in a power cut.
- Put bit, byte, KB, MB, GB and TB in order and do simple "how many fit?" sums, and name the main kinds of storage and why we keep backups.
- Find a PC's processor, RAM and free storage, show file extensions in File Explorer and extract a ZIP file.
What you need
No computer at home? Print the PDF and practise on paper.
Follow these steps in order
Tick each step when you finish it. Your ticks are saved on this device, so you can stop and come back later.
Learn the ideas ⏱️ 35 min
Read pages 1–4 of the workbook and try every small task. Type your answers straight into the boxes: they save by themselves.
Explore the 3D lab ⏱️ 15 min
Play with the 3D model below. The 🎯 missions tell you exactly what to do next. When you finish every mission, this step ticks itself.
Do the Lab Mission ⏱️ 25 min
Page 5 is the hands-on task. Do it on a real computer, step by step. You need: a computer you can look at (Settings and File Explorer).
Check yourself ⏱️ 10 min
Answer the questions on page 6 without looking back, then check your answers below.
Finished? Check your answers
Your Turn (Page 2) a) Esi lost more: her 20 minutes of typing were only in memory (RAM), which is wiped when the power goes. Kofi lost at most 5 minutes, because each save copied his work to storage. b) No. 1 TB is a big storeroom, but 4 GB of RAM is a small worktable, so the laptop may still be slow when many things are open. Speed depends mostly on the processor, the RAM and the type of drive.
Quick Sums (Page 3)
- About 250 songs (1,000 ÷ 4).
- About 500 photos (2,000 ÷ 4).
- 1 GB is bigger (1 GB is about 1,000 MB).
- KB, MB, GB, TB.
Inside the Box (Page 5): with a small worktable the cook keeps going to the storeroom, so orders come out slowly; with a bigger table orders are faster.
Spec sheet (Page 5): answers depend on the PC. Check that RAM is in GB (usually 4, 8 or 16), free space is smaller than the total, and the sum is free GB × 1,000 ÷ 4 (for example 120 GB free → about 30,000 photos).
Why is my computer slow? (Page 6)
- Close the tabs and programmes she is not using (they fill the worktable).
- Move old videos to a pen drive or the cloud and empty the Recycle Bin (a nearly full drive slows Windows and blocks updates).
- Ask a technician about replacing the hard drive with an SSD (old hard drives are slow).
Written Review Questions
- Memory (RAM) is the worktable: fast and small, holding only what you are using now, and cleared when the power goes off. Storage is the storeroom: big and permanent, keeping files even when the computer is off.
- The pen drive could be lost, broken or corrupted, and then the project is gone. He should keep a backup in a second place, such as the PC or the cloud (the two-places rule).
Rate yourself and save your work ⏱️ 5 min
Tick how confident you feel on the last page, then press 🖨 Print / Save as PDF in the workbook to keep a copy. On a shared computer, press Clear my answers when you have saved it.
🎉 Session 6 complete!
Brilliant work. Next up: Session 7: Peripherals & Connections.
Go to Session 7 →💾 Inside the Box
Open a system unit and lift out the processor, memory and storage. Then run a busy kitchen and see why too little memory makes a computer slow. Follow the 🎯 missions on the right: they tell you what to do next.
Stuck? Try this
Most problems are one missed word. Look for the Panic Button or Help box in the workbook.
Refresh the page. On a very old computer it may not show 3D. The workbook still has everything you need.
Answers save on the computer you typed them on. Open the workbook on that same computer and browser.
Ask your mentor, a teacher or a friend. Show them the step number you are on.