Secondary Storage Devices

Jake was half-way through typing his Science Lab report when there was an interruption in the power supply.  When the power was restored and Jake switched his computer back on, he realised that he had lost the Science Lab report that he was working on before.  A fustrated and annoyed Jake asks the question "What can I do to avoid losing my work the next time there is an interruption in the power supply?"

Computers are electronic devices which means that they need electricity in order to work.  When there is an interruption in the power supply or if you power down your computer, without properly saving your work it will be lost.  This is because a computer's primary storage area called Random Access Memory (RAM) is temporary and only retains data for processing while the computer is switched on.  When the computer is switched off, everything in RAM disappears.  That is why it is important that you have a means of storing your information so that it is available even after your computer has been switched off. But how do you know which storage device to use to save your Science Lab report or your music files?

This WebQuest will help you to discover the answer to this question, Jake's question and others about Secondary Storage Devices.