A computer uses secondary storage to keep programs and data.
Give two examples of secondary storage devices that store data using magnetic media.
Mark scheme
Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of two marks:
- Hard disk drive/HDD (1)
- External/portable hard disk drive (1)
- Magnetic tape drive (1)
- Magnetic tape (1)
Allow a named device or the storage media type, e.g. hard disk/hard disc for hard disk drive, tape for magnetic tape
Allow floppy disk/floppy disk drive
Do not accept solid state devices (SSD, USB flash drive/memory stick, SD card/memory card) or optical media (CD/DVD/Blu-ray) as these do not store data using magnetism
Example answers and how they were marked
Hard disk drive and magnetic tape
Why: Hard disk drive (1) and magnetic tape (1) are both magnetic secondary storage, so both marks are awarded.
Hard disk drive and SD card
Why: Hard disk drive is magnetic (1); an SD card is solid state, not magnetic, so the second mark is not awarded.
CD and DVD
Why: Both are optical media, which the mark scheme says not to accept, so no marks are awarded.