Chapter 7 of 20

35%

Tamil Nadu (TNBSE)Class 6 Science★ 3-6 marks in the TN Class 6 Term 1 exam through book-back MCQs and short answers on computers

Computer - An Introduction

Samacheer Kalvi (TN State Board) Class 6 Science — Term 1 Chapter 7, Computer - An Introduction. What a computer is, data and information, the pioneers of the computer (Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace), hardware and software (including the operating system), and input and output devices, with the actual book-back questions, common mistakes and quick revision.

⏱ 13 min readEasy difficulty✓ Free · NCERT-aligned

Worksheet

Podcast

Listen as a conversation

A teacher & a student talk through the chapter — in your language.

Mind Map

The chapter at a glance

Every concept and exam-favourite branch — revisable in 5 minutes.

…

Study Guide

Night-before notes

Key points, glossary and the questions most likely to show up.

…

VocabularyBuild your vocabularyLexiGenome mines the key words and schedules them with spaced repetition.Mine words →

By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

1Define a computer and data
2Name the pioneers of the computer
3Differentiate hardware and software
4Identify the operating system
5List input and output devices

💡

Why this chapter matters

Computer - An Introduction builds basic digital literacy — what a computer is and its parts. The pioneers, hardware/software and input/output devices are directly tested book-back content in the TN Class 6 Term 1 exam.

Before you start — revise these

A 5-minute refresher here will save you 30 minutes of confusion below.

🔗

Class 5 — Introduction to Computers

Using a computer.

Computer - An Introduction — Class 6 Science (Samacheer Kalvi)

TN State Board (Samacheer Kalvi) Class 6 Science, Term 1 — Chapter 7 (Computer Science). The basics of a computer.

1. About this chapter

This chapter covers what a computer is, data and information, the pioneers of the computer, hardware and software, and input/output devices.

2. The computer, data and pioneers

A computer is an electronic device that processes data and information according to our needs; it can store data and turn it into information.
Data is the information to be processed — usually numbers, letters and images.
Charles Babbage is called the inventor (father) of the computer; Charles Babbage and Ada (Augusta Ada) Lovelace are the pioneers of the computer. A mobile phone is another form of computer.

3. Hardware and software

Hardware is the physical parts of a computer that we can touch (helping the software to work).
Software is the set of programs or commands used on a computer.
The operating system is system software that runs the computer — Windows and Linux are examples.

4. Input and output devices

Input devices send data into the computer — keyboard, mouse, scanner, web camera.
Output devices give out results — monitor, printer.

5. Worked examples

Example 1. Who invented the computer? Charles Babbage.

Example 2. Give two examples of input devices. Keyboard and mouse.

Example 3. Name an operating system. Windows (or Linux).

6. Book-back questions (Samacheer Kalvi)

I. Choose the correct answer

The computer was invented by — (a) Charles Babbage / (b) Newton. Ans: (a) Charles Babbage.
Another form of computer is the — (a) television / (b) mobile. Ans: (b) mobile.
An example of an operating system is — (a) Windows / (b) keyboard. Ans: (a) Windows.

II. Fill in the blanks 4. Data is the information that has to be processed. 5. Hardware is the physical part of a computer; software is the set of programs. 6. A monitor and a printer are output devices.

III. Answer briefly 7. What is a computer? — An electronic device that processes data and information and can store data. 8. Who are the pioneers of the computer? — Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace. 9. Differentiate hardware and software. — Hardware is the physical parts; software is the programs/commands.

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Confusing hardware and software. Fix: Hardware = physical parts you can touch; software = programs.
Mistake: Calling the keyboard an output device. Fix: The keyboard is an input device; the monitor/printer are output devices.
Mistake: Mixing data and information. Fix: Data is raw input; processed data becomes information.

8. Quick revision

Term 1 · Ch 7 · computer - an introduction.
Computer = electronic device that processes data into information; data = numbers/letters/images.
Pioneers: Charles Babbage (inventor) and Ada Lovelace; a mobile is another form of computer.
Hardware = physical parts; software = programs (OS: Windows, Linux). Input: keyboard, mouse, scanner; output: monitor, printer.

Key formulas & results

Everything you need to memorise, in one card. Screenshot this for revision.

Computer

electronic device that processes data into information

Stores data too.

Pioneers

Charles Babbage (inventor) and Ada Lovelace

Mobile = another form.

Hardware vs software

physical parts vs programs

OS = Windows, Linux.

Devices

input: keyboard, mouse, scanner; output: monitor, printer

In and out.

⚠️

Common mistakes & fixes

These are the exact errors that cost students marks in board exams. Read them once, save yourself the trouble.

WATCH OUT

✗ Confusing hardware and software

✓ Hardware = physical parts you can touch; software = programs.

WATCH OUT

✗ Calling the keyboard an output device

✓ The keyboard is an input device; the monitor/printer are output devices.

WATCH OUT

✗ Mixing data and information

✓ Data is raw input; processed data becomes information.

NCERT exercises (with solutions)

Every NCERT exercise from this chapter — what it covers and how many questions to expect.

Choose the correct answer

Book-back MCQs on the inventor, mobile and the OS.

Questions

Fill in the blanks

Data, hardware/software and output devices.

Questions

Answer briefly

Definition, pioneers and hardware vs software.

Questions

Practice problems

Try each one yourself before tapping "Show solution". Active recall > rereading.

Q1EASY· MCQ

Who invented the computer?

▶ Show solution

Charles Babbage.

Q2EASY· MCQ

Name an example of an operating system.

▶ Show solution

Windows (or Linux).

Q3EASY· Fill in the blanks

____ is the information that has to be processed.

▶ Show solution

Data.

Q4EASY· MCQ

Another form of computer is the ____.

▶ Show solution

mobile.

Q5EASY· Answer briefly

Differentiate hardware and software.

▶ Show solution

Hardware is the physical parts of a computer that we can touch, while software is the set of programs or commands that make the hardware work.

Q6EASY· Answer briefly

Give two examples of input devices.

▶ Show solution

Keyboard and mouse (also scanner and web camera).

5-minute revision

The whole chapter, distilled. Read this the night before the exam.

•Term 1 Chapter 7 of Samacheer Kalvi Class 6 Science (Computer Science).
•A computer is an electronic device that processes data into information and can store data.
•Data is the information to be processed (numbers, letters, images).
•Charles Babbage is the inventor; he and Ada Lovelace are the pioneers; a mobile is another form of computer.
•Hardware is the physical parts; software is the programs (OS: Windows, Linux).
•Input devices: keyboard, mouse, scanner; output devices: monitor, printer.

Tamil Nadu (TNBSE) marks blueprint

Where the marks come from in this chapter — so you can plan your prep.

Typical chapter weightage: 3-6 marks across book-back MCQ and short answers

Question type	Marks each	Typical count	What it tests
MCQ / Fill	1	4-6	Inventor, devices, OS
Short Answer	2	1	Hardware vs software

Prep strategy

Remember Charles Babbage as the inventor
Separate hardware and software
List input vs output devices
Name an operating system

Where this shows up in the real world

This chapter isn't just an exam topic — it lives in the world around you.

Everyday tools

Computers and phones are used in school, work and home.

Communication

Computers connect us through the internet.

Learning

Software helps us study, draw and calculate.

Exam strategy

Battle-tested tips from teachers and toppers for this chapter.

Quote Charles Babbage as the inventor
Separate hardware (parts) and software (programs)
Sort devices into input and output
Name an OS like Windows

Going beyond the textbook

For olympiad aspirants and curious learners — topics that build on this chapter.

List three input and three output devices.
Explain how data becomes information with an example.

Where else this chapter is tested

CBSE board isn't the only one — other exams test this chapter too.

TN Class 6 Term 1 ExamMedium

Computer / ICT testsMedium

School unit testsHigh

AI helpers for this chapter

Generate more practice on the fly, or have the chapter explained at a different level.

⚡

Generate 5 more questions

Fresh MCQs + short-answer items based on this chapter, plus answer keys.

🧠

Explain at a different level

Re-explain the chapter at the level you actually want.

📝 My notes

Saved on this device — sign in to sync · how this works

0/600

Questions students ask

The real ones — pulled from the Q&A community and tutor sessions.

Data is the raw input — numbers, letters or images — that the computer takes in, while information is the meaningful result the computer produces after processing that data.

Like a computer, a mobile phone takes in data, processes it, stores it and gives out results, so it works as a small, portable computer.

Practice more, ask doubts, find a tutor

Tamil Nadu (TNBSE) Class 6 mock tests

Tamil Nadu (TNBSE) Class 6 PYQs

Ask in Q&A

Science flashcards

Related chapters

Students who read Computer - An Introduction usually read these next.

Measurements

Samacheer Kalvi (TN State Board) Class 6 Science — Term 1 Chapter 1, Measurements. Physical quantities, the SI system and units of length, mass and time, the instruments used to measure them, unit conversions, and measuring the volume of irregular objects by displacement, with the actual book-back questions, common mistakes and quick revision.

Force and Motion

Samacheer Kalvi (TN State Board) Class 6 Science — Term 1 Chapter 2, Force and Motion. The effects of force, contact and non-contact forces, the types of motion (rectilinear, circular, rotational, oscillatory/periodic), uniform and non-uniform motion, and speed (= distance ÷ time), with the actual book-back questions, common mistakes and quick revision.

Matter Around Us

Samacheer Kalvi (TN State Board) Class 6 Science — Term 1 Chapter 3, Matter Around Us. What matter is (it has mass and occupies space), pure substances and mixtures, and the methods of separating mixtures — hand-picking, winnowing, sieving, filtration, decantation and churning — with the actual book-back questions, common mistakes and quick revision.

The World of Plants

Samacheer Kalvi (TN State Board) Class 6 Science — Term 1 Chapter 4, The World of Plants. The root system (taproot in dicots, fibrous root in monocots) and the shoot system (stem and leaves), the parts and functions of a leaf including stomata, and the modifications of roots, stems and leaves, with the actual book-back questions, common mistakes and quick revision.