Year 11 - Computing
The environmental impact of data systems
Databases and SQL
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit introduces pupils to databases and SQL, they will explore the key terms used in a database and why relational databases are used to eliminate the redundancy that can occur in a flat file database. They will explore SQL commands to retrieve, update, and delete data in a relational database.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to identify the environmental impacts of data systems, discuss sustainability and propose reduction strategies.
Key Notes
- Data systems have a significant environmental impact, especially due to large-scale data centres.
- Data centres consume vast amounts of electricity, mainly for running servers and cooling systems.
- Most electricity for data centres comes from fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
- Sustainable practices can reduce impacts, such as using renewable energy and efficient cooling systems.
Vocabulary To Learn
- data centre: facility that houses servers, storage systems and networking equipment to store, process and distribute data
- renewable energy: energy that comes from natural sources that are constantly replenished and will not run out
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Because data is stored in the cloud, it doesn't have a physical or environmental impact.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Describe the system or process from this lesson in clear steps.
Data systems have a significant environmental impact, especially due to large-scale data centres. Data centres consume vast amounts of electricity, mainly for running servers and cooling systems.
2. Define this computing term and give one practical example. 'data centre'
facility that houses servers, storage systems and networking equipment to store, process and distribute data. Add one real device or system example to prove understanding.
3. Correct this common computing misconception.
Mistake: Because data is stored in the cloud, it doesn't have a physical or environmental impact. Correction: The term "cloud" sounds invisible, so many people assume their photos, videos and files are floating around in some harmless digital space. But in reality the cloud is made up of millions of physical data centres which are based across the world.
More Lessons In This Unit
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