NEW APPROACH
TERM/WEEK: THIRD TERM/ WEEK 6
DATE: 4th July, 2020
CLASS: Grade 2
SUBJECT: COMPUTER SCIENCE
TOPIC: The Scanner
REFERENCE: Hapans Computer Simplified for Primary 3 by A. N. Udofia / Internet.
BRIEF EXPLANATION:
When referring to hardware, a scanner or optical scanner is a hardware input device that optically “reads” an image and converts it into a digital signal. For example, a scanner may be used to convert a printed picture, drawing, or document (hard copy) into a digital file which can be edited on a computer (Soft copy).
How a Scanner is Connected to a Computer?
A scanner can connect to a computer using many different interfaces although today it is most commonly connected to a computer using a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable.
Why is a scanner an input device?
A computer scanner is a digitizer, which is a type of input device. It takes information from the real world (e.g., a document or picture) and converts it into digital information for a computer to store or manipulate. A scanner is only able to send information to the computer and cannot receive information from the computer like a printer (which is an output device).
Note that:
When referring to software, a scanner may refer to any program that scans computer files for errors or other problems. An example is an antivirus program, which scans the files on the computer for viruses or other malware.
Exercises/Assignment
- What is a scanner?
- Differentiate between a scanner and a printer.
- Why is a scanner an input device?
- How is the scanner connected to the computer?