4.1 · Lesson 3 of 4
How the operating system manages the computer
Syllabus 4.1.2
What this lesson covers
- Describe the functions of an operating system
Key vocabulary
- Memory management
- The OS decides where programs and data go in RAM, keeps a record of them and stops them overwriting each other.
- Virtual memory
- Part of secondary storage used as extra RAM when RAM is full.
- Multitasking
- Running several programs at once by giving each a short time slice of the CPU.
- Peripheral
- A hardware device that isn't part of the computer's main body, e.g. a printer.
- Device driver
- A program that lets the OS communicate with a specific hardware device.
- Print buffer
- An area of memory that holds documents waiting to print, in a queue.
- File management
- Saving, opening, renaming, deleting and organising files into folders.
- Access rights
- Settings that control which files and folders each user can see or change.
Check your learning
- Quick check: 4 questions
- Key vocabulary test: 8 terms
- Activity 1: Name the OS job · 8 questions
- Activity 2: OS functions quiz · 8 questions
- Activity 3: Name the job · drag and drop