Lesson T4.1.1

T4.1.1 Hardware and software components Quiz: KS3 Computing, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T4.1.1, Hardware and software components: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Computing (National Curriculum), Unit 4: Computer systems, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which part of a computer carries out the instructions and calculations that make programs run?

    • The central processing unit, which carries out instructions and calculations
    • The hard disk drive, which keeps files saved after the computer is switched off
    • The graphics card, which sends signals that control what appears on the screen
    • The random access memory, which stores data while programs are running

  2. Which type of memory loses its contents when the computer is switched off?

    • Read only memory, which keeps its start-up instructions when the power is removed
    • Random access memory, which holds the data and programs in use at the moment
    • Hard disk storage, which holds saved files until the user deletes them
    • Solid state storage, which keeps saved files when the computer is turned off

  3. What is the main job of an operating system?

    • To convert printed documents into digital text using a scanner
    • To manage the computer's hardware and provide a base on which applications run
    • To store the user's files in a secure place away from other devices
    • To create images and videos for the user to edit in a creative project

  4. Which of these is an example of application software?

    • A word processor used to write and format documents
    • A device driver that lets the computer communicate with a connected printer
    • Windows, which controls the hardware and manages the files on the device
    • The BIOS, which runs checks on the hardware when the computer starts up

  5. Which device is an input device?

    • A microphone, which records sound and sends it to the computer
    • A speaker, which plays sound that the computer has produced
    • A monitor, which displays the output of a computer program on the screen
    • A printer, which produces paper copies of documents on a page

  6. Which device is an output device?

    • A keyboard, which sends typed characters from the user to the computer
    • A scanner, which copies a paper image into a digital file for the computer
    • A mouse, which moves a pointer to select items shown on the screen
    • A projector, which shows the computer's display on a large screen

  7. A pupil needs a fast, permanent store for large files and wants no moving parts. Which storage type fits best?

    • Random access memory, which clears its contents when the power is lost
    • A hard disk drive, which stores data on spinning magnetic platters
    • A solid state drive, which stores data in flash memory with no moving parts
    • A CD-ROM, which stores data on an optical disc that is read by a laser

  8. Which statement about the CPU's clock speed is correct?

    • It measures the amount of storage space on the device's hard drive in gigabytes
    • It is measured in hertz and shows how many cycles per second the processor can run
    • It measures how much data can be sent across a network each second in megabits
    • It is the number of programs that can be open at the same time on the computer

  9. A computer has 8 GB of RAM and a student opens many large programs at once. What is the most likely effect?

    • The hard disk will fill with new programs automatically from the operating system
    • The computer may slow down as it runs short of memory for the programs in use
    • The processor will stop working permanently until the RAM has been replaced
    • The monitor will show a higher resolution picture than it did before the programs opened

  10. A printer, a keyboard and a monitor are connected to a computer. Which classification is correct?

    • The keyboard is an input device, and the monitor and printer are output devices
    • All three are output devices because each one displays or prints information
    • The printer is an input device because it reads the text on a page into the computer
    • The keyboard and monitor are input devices, and the printer is a storage device

  11. Why does a computer need both hardware and software?

    • Hardware and software are two names for the same set of components inside a computer
    • Hardware is the physical parts, and software gives the instructions that tell the hardware what to do
    • Software is the physical parts that the user can touch, and hardware is the programs
    • Software supplies the power to the parts, and hardware runs the start-up checks each day

  12. Which is an example of system software?

    • A video editing program used to cut and join clips for a school film
    • A web browser used to visit websites and look up information
    • A device driver that lets the operating system use a newly connected printer
    • A game installed on a tablet for playing during break times

  13. What is firmware?

    • Software permanently stored in a device, such as the instructions held in a printer's chip
    • The outer case that protects the internal components of a laptop from damage
    • A cloud service that stores the user's files so they are available anywhere
    • A type of virus that spreads from one computer to another across a network

  14. A laptop has a processor with a higher clock speed but less RAM than another laptop. What does this suggest?

    • It may run each instruction faster but could struggle with many programs open at once
    • It can keep more files permanently, because the processor saves data after power off
    • It cannot connect to the internet, because RAM and clock speed control network use
    • It always has more storage space than the other laptop, so files open more quickly

  15. Which component connects the other parts of a computer so they can share data?

    • The motherboard, which holds the processor, memory and other components together
    • The sound card, which converts digital audio into signals for the speakers
    • The cooling fan, which removes heat produced when the processor is working hard
    • The power supply, which converts mains electricity into the voltages the parts need

  16. Why might a school store files on a cloud server rather than only on local hard drives?

    • So files can be reached from many places and backed up away from the building
    • So the server can replace the operating system on every computer in the school
    • So the files are stored inside the processor, where they can be run most quickly
    • So the files never need an internet connection, even when they are shared

  17. What does a graphics card mainly do?

    • It supplies power to the other components inside a desktop computer
    • It sends data between the computer and the internet through a network cable
    • It stores the operating system so the computer can start more quickly
    • It processes images and sends the video signal that the display shows

  18. Which pairing of hardware and its purpose is correct?

    • Speaker: records sounds from the room and sends them to the processor for storage
    • Keyboard: displays the text typed by the user onto the screen of the monitor
    • Scanner: copies a printed picture into a digital file that the computer can store
    • Printer: reads data from a USB flash drive into the computer's memory for use

  19. Why is secondary storage used alongside RAM?

    • It keeps files and programs even when the computer is switched off
    • It runs the processor's instructions more quickly than RAM is able to do
    • It holds only the data the processor is working on at the current moment
    • It replaces the operating system whenever the computer starts up each day

  20. A computer shows 'Insufficient memory' when a large photo editor is opened. Which hardware part is most likely the cause?

    • The keyboard, which may be sending too many characters to the processor
    • The random access memory, which may be too small for the programs being run
    • The speaker, which may be playing too loud a sound while the editor opens
    • The network card, which may be slowing down the connection to the internet

All KS3 Computing quizzes