Chapter 2 Computer Hardware - SAM study center
The word "bit" is short for what?
Binary digit
How many bytes is a gigabyte?
1 billion
Unicode and ASCII are examples of what?
A coding scheme
You use a ______ key in conjunction with other keys to issue a command.
A modifier key
Memory chips or modules hold data and programs as they are being processed by the ______, and are usually found on the motherboard.
CPU
A pointing device used primarily with a tablet computer to draw, enter data, and make selections on the screen.
A stylus
Benchmark
A benchmark is a test run by a laboratory or other organization to determine processor speed and other performance factors.
What is an electronic channel that transfers data in multiple directions?
A bus
Bus
A bus is an electronic channel that allows the CPU and various devices inside or attached to a computer to communicate.
Cycle
A cycle is the smallest unit of time a processor can measure.
A pointing device used primarily for computer gaming systems.
A joystick.
You move this handheld device on a flat surface to manipulate the pointer on the screen.
A mouse
Multi-Core Processor
A multi-core processor has two or more processor units, or cores.
Multifunction Device (MFD)
A multifunction device, also called an MFD or all-in-one printer, is both an input device (copying and scanning documents) and an output device (sending faxes and printing).
Pointing Stick
A pointing stick is a pressure-sensitive pointing device the size and shape of a pencil eraser.
A flat surface, often found on laptop computers, that can be used instead of a mouse.
A touch pad
Context-Specific Menu Options
Context-specific menu options are commands that are available for the current object, selection, or program area.
Digitized Sound
Digitized sound is a digital representation of analog sound waves.
Firewire
Firewire is a technology that enables a high-speed connection between a computer and a peripheral device.
Google Docs
Google Docs is a group of web-based applications provided by Google. Programs include word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, forms creation, and cloud storage.
Internet Control Keys
Internet control keys are special keys found on some keyboards that allow a user to navigate the Internet without using the mouse.
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
Liquid crystal display, or LCD, is a display technology that features a layer of liquid crystal between two transparent electrodes.
Hard drives with read/write heads that move over the surface of platters are a type of ______ storage.
Magnetic
Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM)
Magnetoresistive RAM, or MRAM, is a type of nonvolatile memory that uses magnetic charges rather than electrical charges to store data.
Pressing the ______ key switches the navigation keypad to the numeric keypad.
NUMLOCK
CDs and DVDs are types of ______ storage.
Optical
Optical Storage Technology
Optical storage technology is a process in which the data is "burned" on to the disk with a laser that creates "pits" and "lands".
Platters
Platters are the disks within the hard disk drive on which magnetized particles are aligned to store digital data.
Processor Cache
Processor cache is a special memory area next to the processor that stores frequently used data and instructions.
What sets the speed at which the CPU executes instructions?
Processor clock
Flash memory is an example of _______ memory.
Programmable
Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM)
Programmable Read-Only Memory, or PROM, is a type of memory chip on which a programmer can write code, but only once.
When the a computer is shut down, the information in ________ is erased.
RAM
The data stored in _________ is saved even when a computer has been powered off.
ROM
Random Access
Random access, or direct access, is the process of storing data to or retrieving data from its specific location on a memory or storage device.
Data stored on hard disk uses ______ access, so you can go directly to the area of the drive where the data is stored.
Random or Direct
Read Only Memory (ROM)
Read only memory, or ROM, is the memory permanently installed on a system when the computer is manufactured.
Data stored on a tape is ______, so it requires you to forward or rewind the tape to access information.
Sequential
USB flash drives and camera memory cards are types of _____ storage.
Solid State
What performs arithmetic and logic functions in the CPU?
The ALU - (The Arithmetic/Logic Unit)
Machine Cycle
The machine cycle is a four-step process for every instruction that is processed by the CPU. The steps are fetch, decode, execute, and store.
Swap File
The swap file is the part of the hard disk used by virtual memory.
Volatile
The term volatile refers to the characteristic loss of data in RAM when the computer loses power.
Unicode
Unicode is a 16-bit text coding scheme that can be used to create over 65,000 symbols and characters.
When an operating system employs _______ memory, it swaps files to the hard disk.
Virtual