CSCI Exam 1: Ch 3

What does the ROM chip contain and what does it tell your computer to do ?

- contains the BIOS and it tells your computer how to start

What are the four steps in the machine cycle in the instructions executed by the CPU?

1. Fetching 2. Decoding 3. Executing 4. Storing

When a CPU executes instructions as it converts input into output, it does so using what two things?

1. control unit 2. arithmetic logic unit

What are the three types of memory?

1. random access memory 2. read-only memory 3. virtual memory

How many bits make up a byte?

8

What is a video card?

A circuit board that processes image signals.

What is Unicode?

A coding systems that represent text and symbols in computers, communications equipment, and other devices that use text. * it is a 16 bit coding scheme that is an extension of ASCII

What is the central processing unit (CPU)?

A complex integrated circuit that consists of millions of electronic parts and is primarily responsible for converting input (data) into meaningful output (information)

What is peripheral device?

A device such as a keyboard, mouse, printer, or speakers that can connected to and extend the capability of a computer.

What is a scanner?

A device that converts a paper image into an electronic file that you can open and work with on your computer.

What is an uninterruptable?

A device that maintains power to computer equipment in case of an interruption in the primary electrical source.

What is a surge suppressor?

A device that prevents power fluctuations from damaging electronic components.

What is a multitouch screens?

A display that can respond to multiple fingers touching the screen simultaneously.

What is a touchscreen?

A display that lets you touch areas of the screen to interact with software.

what is a touchpad?

A flat surface that is touch-sensitive, and you move your finger around the touchpad to move the pointer on the screen.

What is the binary system?

A number system that has two digits, 0 and 1.

What is a stylus?

A pen-shaped digital tool for making selections and entering information on a touchscreen

What is a laptop or notebook?

A portable computer that is smaller than the average briefcase and light enough to carry comfortably; often called a notebook.

What is a mobile device?

A portable or handheld computing device, such as a smartphone or a tablet, with a screen size of 10.1 inches or smaller.

What is a device driver?

A program that controls a device attached to your computer, such as a printer, monitor, or video card. *manually install software to work properly

What is a port?

A slot on the computer or device where you can attach a peripheral device.

What is a digital pen?

A small device, shaped like a pen, that you can use to draw, tap icons, or tap keys on an on-screen keyboard, similar to a stylus, but is more capable because it has programmable buttons.

What is a tablet?

A small, flat computer with a touch-sensitive screen that accepts input from a digital pen, stylus, or your fingertip

What is a trackball?

A stationary pointing device with a ball anchored inside a casing, as well as two or more buttons.

What is a benchmark?

A test run by a laboratory or other organization to determine processor speed and other performance factors.

What is wheel?

A type of game controller that mirrors the functionality of a steering wheel in a vehicle.

What is a multifunction device?

Also called an all-in-one printer; can serve as an input device by copying and scanning, as well as an output device by faxing and printing

What is a USB hub?

An external device that contains many USB ports.

What is a game controller?

An input device you use when playing a video game.

When a computer translates a character into bits and bytes it uses text coding schemes such as:

AsCII and Unicode

What is optical media?

CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs (BDs), use laser technology for storage and playback.

What is an input device?

Communicates instructions and commands to a computer. Common input devices are keyboard, mouse, stylus, scanner, microphone, and game controller.

An all in one computer is what?

Computer that typically consists of the system unit, monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

What is a desktop computer?

Computer that typically consists of the system unit, monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

What is an output device?

Conveys information from the computer to the user. Common output devices include displays, speakers, headphones, projectors, and printers.

What is a printer?

Creates hard copy output on paper, film, and other media.

What is a 3-D printer?

Creates objects based on computer models using special plastics and other materials

What is word size?

Determines the speed at which data in a computer travels, also referred to as bus width.

What is the bus width?

Determines the speed at which data in a computer travels, also referred to as word size.

What are projectors?

Displays visual output from a computer on a large surface such as a wall or screen.

What would you use to completely back up the contents of your computer?

External hard drive or in cloud drive

What is flash memory?

Fast type of memory that typically is less expensive than some other types of RAM, and can retain its contents in the absence of power *nonvolatile*

What is a dance pad?

Game controller held in both hands that controls the movement and actions of players or objects.

What is a game controller?

Game controller held in both hands that controls the movement and actions of players or objects.

What is motion-sensing controller?

Game controller that allows users to guide on-screen elements with air gestures.

What is a joystick?

Game controller with a handheld vertical lever, mounted on a base, that you move in different directions to control the actions of the simulated vehicle or player.

What is a webcam?

In Computer Concepts, a camera built-in to a computer, which is primarily used for videoconferencing, chatting, or online gaming.

what is a pointing device?

In Computer Concepts, a device used to point to and select specific objects on the computer screen. Examples of point devices include a mouse, touchpad, and trackball.

What is ASCII?

In Computer Concepts, an 8-bit coding scheme, which means that 8 bits are used to represent uppercase and lowercase letters, mathematical operators, and logical operations.

What are plug-n-play devices

In Computer Concepts, devices that begin functioning properly as soon as you connect them to your computer.

What is virtual memory?

In Computer Concepts, the capability of an operating system to temporarily store data on a storage medium until it can be "swapped" into RAM.

What is clock speed?

In Computer Concepts, the speed at which a processor can execute instructions. Clock speed either can be measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).

What are cameras?

Input devices that support adding pictures or videos to a computer.

What is a plotter printer?

Large-format printer that uses charged wires to produce high-quality drawings for professional applications such as architectural blueprints; plotters draw continuous lines on large rolls of paper

Which type of disk drive has greater storage?

Magnetic

What is the control unit?

Manages the flow of instructions within the processor.

What is static RAM (SRAM)?

Memory can be recharged less frequently than DRAM, but can be more expensive than DRAM *volatile*

What is dynamic RAM (DRAM)?

Memory needs to be constantly recharged or contents will be erased *volatile*

What is Magnetoresistinve RAM?

Memory uses magnetic charges to store contents, and can retain its contents in the absence of power *nonvolatile*

What are headphones?

Output device that consists of a pair of small listening devices that fit into a band placed over your ears.

Now discussing output devices: What are speakers?

Output devices used to convey audio output, such as music, voice, sound effects, or other sounds.

What is an ink-jet printer?

Prints by spraying small dots of colored ink onto paper

What is random access memory?

RAM * stored on one or more chip connected to the main circuit board of the computer aka the motherboard) The storage location that is part of every computer and that temporarily stores open apps and document data while a computer is on.

What is the arithmetic logic unit (ALU)?

Responsible for performing arithmetic operations in the CPU

What is restoring?

Returning an operating system or files to their default settings, or migrating back to the operating system's previous version.

What is a mobile printer?

Small, lightweight printer that is built into or attached to a mobile device for mobile printing

What are earbuds?

Speakers that are small enough to place in your ears.

What is an external hard drive?

Storage drive housed in a separate case, and typically connected to your computer using a USB cable. * can be magnetic or solid state

What is cloud storage?

Storing electronic files on the Internet, not on a local computer; often called storing data "in the cloud."

What are firmware?

The instructions on the ROM chip

What is a mouse?

The most common type of pointing device used with computers.

What is the form factor?

The shape and size of a computer

What is a cycle?

The smallest unit of time a process can measure.

What is a computer platform?

The software, or operating system, a device uses.

How would you back up material that you want to move from one computer to another?

USB flash drive

What is a microphone?

Used to enter voice or sound data into a computer.

What is a laser printer?

Uses a laser beam and toner to print on paper

What are voice synthesizers?

Voice output that converts text to speech.

What are two of the most common operating systems?

Windows and macOS

Each 0 or 1 represents what?

a bit (short for binary digits)

What is a solid state drive (SSD)?

a hard drive without moving parts and is faster and more durable than magnetic

One a computer what is the most likely input device?

a keyboard

Where can a processor store data?

a processor cache Stores frequently used data next to the processor so that it can easily and quickly be retrieved.

What can a byte represent?

a single character in the computer

One a mobile device what is the most likely input device?

a touchscreen

What is a processor core?

a unit on the processor with the circuitry necessary to execute instructions

What is a keyboard?

an input device that contains keys you can press to enter letters, numbers, and symbols

What is a bug?

data travels in and out of the CPU through embedded wires

What are the three main types of computer form factors?

desktops, laptops, and tablets

In computers and mobile devices, the most common output device is the ?

display device

What is a headset?

includes one or more headphones for output, and a microphone for input.

What would you use to store your operating system and apps that you are currently using?

internal hard drive

What also does the BIOS do?

it performs a power-self test (POST)

What are some other computer platforms?

linux, google andriod and apple ios

What are some examples of hardware?

memory, storage devices, a central processing unit, input and output devices, and communication devices

What are processors with multiple cores?

multi-core processors

What is memory the does not lose its contents when power is removed?

nonvolatile

What is Read only memory (ROM)?

permanently installed on your computer and is attached to the motherboard

What is the third thing that ROM does?

provided the means of communication between the operating system and hardware devices

What is computer memory?

responsible for holding data and programs as they are being processed by the CPU

What is the area of the hard drive temporarily used to store data that cannot fit in RAM?

swamp file or paging file

How might a business back up their data?

tape drive

What's a power-on self test (POST)?

tests all computer components for proper orientation

What does the digit o indicate?

the absence of an electric charge

What are the components of a computer?

the central processing unit (CPU), memory, storage devices, input devices, and output devices

what is the most common storage medium in computers?

the internal hard drive

What does the digit 1 indicate?

the presence of an electrical charge

What is the minimum hardware requirement called?

the system requirements

True or false: Processors with more cores typically perform better and are most expensive that processors with fewer cores

true

What is memory that loses its contents when power is removed?

volatile