Learn: What a Logic Gate Does

Welcome!Today we'll explore what logic gates are and how they work. Logic gates are essential in computer science as they form the building blocks of decision-making processes in computers.

What are Logic Gates?Logic gates are electronic components that take inputs (usually 1s and 0s) and produce an output based on a specific rule. They are used to perform logical operations and are the foundation of circuits in modern computers.

Types of Logic GatesIn the OCR GCSE specification, we focus on three types of logic gates: AND, OR, and NOT. These gates help computers make decisions by combining or modifying binary inputs.

AND GateAn AND gate outputs 1 only when both inputs are 1. If any input is 0, the output will be 0. It is used in situations where multiple conditions must be true simultaneously.

OR GateAn OR gate outputs 1 if at least one input is 1. It is useful for situations where any condition being true leads to a result.

NOT GateA NOT gate inverts the input. If the input is 0, it outputs 1, and if the input is 1, it outputs 0. It is useful for reversing a condition in logic circuits.

Truth TablesTruth tables show all possible inputs and outputs for a logic gate. They are a helpful way to understand how gates process data. For example, an AND gate has 4 possible input combinations.

Review Time!Great work! You've learned about AND, OR, and NOT gates, and how truth tables show their behaviour. Let's test your understanding with a few questions.