Computer Hardware Basics

What type of computer are you likely to have at home?

A Microcomputer

What is an integrated circuit?

A collection of transistors and other components in a single package

Which peripheral can bring the game console experience to a desktop computer?

A game controller

small computer platform that includes an integrated flip-up monitor, smaller keyboard, and integrated mouse system

A laptop

Which of the following is a good example of an output peripheral device?

A printer

What do we call the small pieces of software that communicate between devices and your computer?

Device Drivers

What is the largest storage device on a computer?

Hard Drive

What is true about Moore's Law?

It has been a great predictor of computer power for over 40 years

What does it mean that a keyboard is a "digital" device?

It's keys have only two possible states: "on" or "off".

The processing speed of a mainframe is measured in what?

MIPS or MSU

Which hardware component is used to join together other internal components inside the case?

Motherboard

What do we call the input and output devices that are connected externally to the computer?

Peripherals

Which of the following is NOT a valid troubleshooting technique for a non-working peripheral device?

Shaking the device to see if anything is loose

When was the first computer invented?

The 1940's

What was the name of the first, generally recognized computer?

The ENIAC

Which supercomputer was recently approved for development in the United States?

The Exascale supercomputer

In the 1990s, what style of plug replaced nearly all pin-type connectors?

The USB plug

What is the purpose of Random Access Memory (RAM)?

This holds the running programs and active data on your computer.

What modern type of peripheral connection eliminates the need for cords?

Wireless connections