ITE 221 Chapter 5 review questions
For a two-dimensional storage medium like a disk platter, having the length and width of the area that stores one bit increases storage capacity by a factor of _____
4
A single disk sector usually holds ____ or 4096 bytes. a. 250 b. 512 c. 760 d. 1024
512
__________________ is the time required to perform one complete read or write operation.
ACCESS TIME
____ is the sum of average access delay and the time required to read a single sector. a. Average access time b. Rotational latency c. Track-to-track seek time d. Synchronization delay
Average access time
____ is a generic term for describing secondary storage data transfer units. a. Sector b. Wafer c. Cluster d. Block
Block
Sony and Philips originally developed compact disc (CD) technology for storing and distributing music in the ____ format. a. disk digital audio b. MPEG Layer 3 c. CD digital audio d. compressed digital audio
CD digital audio
______________________ is the capability of a substance or magnetic storage medium to accept and hold a magnetic charge.
COERCIVITY
A(n) _______________________ provides the interface between the storage device and system bus.
DEVICE CONTROLLER
____ stores each bit by using a single transistor and capacitor. a. Dynamic ROM b. Static ROM c. Dynamic RAM d. Static RAM
Dynamic RAM
______________ RAM is the most common non-volatile RAM used today
FLASH
Over time, file contents tend to become __________________ in many nonsequential sectors
FRAGMENTED
Block size is normally stated in bytes and is generally the same between storage devices, especially in a single storage device. a. True b. False
False
Communication channel capacity is generally a restriction on a single disk drive's data transfer rate. a. True b. False
False
Cost per unit decreases as an access method moves from serial to random to parallel. a. True b. False
False
HTH switching time is the most important component of access time. a. True b. False
False
Magnetic and optical storage are currently direct competitors. a. True b. False
False
Magnetic disk drives have an advantage over SSDs in power consumption. a. True b. False
False
Magnetic tape and disk are considered volatile storage media. a. True b. False
False
Magneto-optical technology peaked in the mid-1980s. a. True b. False
False
Rewritable DVDs use a single standard adopted by the entire industry. a. True b. False
False
SRAM has higher density then DRAM. a. True b. False
False
Secondary storage is generally expensive compared with primary storage. a. True b. False
False
The write operation for recordable discs is destructive, so recordable disc formats can be written only one time. a. True b. False
False
Wait states increase CPU and computer system performance. a. True b. False
False
With current technology, secondary storage speed is typically faster than primary storage speed. a. True b. False
False
Optical storage devices store bit values as variations in __________________
LIGHT REFLECTION
_______________ is the only widely used form of serial access storage.
MAGNETIC TAPE
____________________ is a read-ahead RAM that uses the same clock pulse as the system bus.
MAGNETORESISTIVE RAM (MRAM)
The ___________ data transfer rate is the fastest rate the drive can support.
MAXIMUM
A CPU with a 1 GHz clock rate needs a new instruction and supporting data every _________________________
NANOSECOND
A(n) _____________________ device can access multiple storage locations simultaneously.
PARRALLEL ACCESS
Magnetic disk media are flat, circular _____________ with metallic coatings that are rotated beneath read/write heads.
PLATTERS
The term ____ describes primary storage devices that are implemented as microchips, can read and write with equal speed, and can randomly access bytes, words, or larger data units. a. RAM b. PROM c. ROM d. semiconductor
RAM
. Average access time is computed under the assumption that two consecutive accesses are sent to _________________ locations.
RANDOM
The stored charge held within a bit of magnetic storage must be above the ______________________ for a read operation to be successful.
READ THRESHOLD
. In a magnetic disk drive, a(n) ___________________ is mounted on the end of an access arm for each platter surface.
READ/WRITE HEAD
Each refresh operation in DRAM is called a(n)_______________
REFRESH CYCLE
____ in the CPU are storage locations for instructions and data. a. ALUs b. Shifters c. Registers d. Controllers
Registers
The term ________________ describes the data transfer unit for magnetic disk and optical disc drives.
SECTOR
A storage device consists of a read/write mechanism and a(n) _________________________
SOLID-STATE DRIVE (SSD)
____ is the time required to read the second of two adjacent sectors on the same track and platter. a. Track-to-track seek time b. Rotational delay c. Sequential access time d. Average access time
Sequential access time
____ is the most important characteristic differentiating primary and secondary storage. a. Capacity b. Density c. Transfer rate d. Speed
Speed
____ is implemented entirely with transistors. a. Dynamic RAM b. Static RAM c. Dynamic ROM d. Static ROM
Static RAM
____ is a read-ahead RAM that uses the same clock pulse as the system bus. a. Synchronous DRAM b. Asynchronous DRAM c. Flash DRAM d. Continuous DRAM
Synchronous DRAM
A(n) ______________ is one concentric circle of a platter, or the surface area that passes under a read/write head when its position is fixed.
TRACK
. A disk drive's data _______________ rate is a summary performance number combining the physical aspects of data access with the electronic aspects of data transfer to the disk controller or system.
TRANSFER
. To increase capacity per platter, disk manufacturers divide tracks into two or more zones and vary the sectors per track in each zone. a. True b. False
True
512- and 4096-byte blocks are the most common data transfer units for magnetic disks. a. True b. False
True
A storage device consists of a read/write mechanism and a storage medium. a. True b. False
True
Because sequential access time is so much faster than average access time, disk performance is improved dramatically if related data is stored in sequential sectors. a. True b. False
True
Capacitors can charge and discharge much faster than batteries. a. True b. False
True
Coercible material per sector is greater at the center than in the platter edge. a. True b. False
True
Computing average access time is more complex when sectors are more densely packed on the platter's outer portions because the assumption that an average access requires moving the read/write head over half the tracks is no longer valid. a. True b. False
True
Disk drives share one set of read/write circuits among all read/write heads. a. True b. False
True
Electrical current can generate a magnetic field but a magnetic field cannot generate electricity. a. True b. False
True
Most optical storage media can retain data for decades because they aren't subject to magnetic decay and leakage. a. True b. False
True
Primary storage extends the limited capacity of CPU registers. a. True b. False
True
SSDs are much more tolerant to shock and other negative environmental factors commonly encountered with portable devices, such as multifunction cell phones, netbooks, and laptop computers. a. True b. False
True
Serial access time depends on the current position of the read/write mechanism and the position of the target data item in the storage medium. a. True b. False
True
The CPU moves data and instructions continually between registers and primary storage. a. True b. False
True
The physical structure of a storage device's read/write mechanism and storage medium determines the ways in which data can be accessed. a. True b. False
True
Volatility is a matter of degree and conditions. a. True b. False
True
Primary storage devices must closely match CPU speed and word size to avoid ___________________
WAIT STATES
Storage device speed is called ____. a. retrieval time b. access time c. movement time d. fetch time
access time
The surface area allocated to store on a bit is called the ____. a. bit density b. surface density c. areal density d. object density
areal density
A ____ consists of all tracks at an equivalent distance from the edge or spindle on all platter surfaces. a. cylinder b. sector c. block d. cluster
cylinder
Data is represented in the CPU as ____. a. analog electrical signals b. quantum signals c. digital electrical signals d. digital optical signals
digital electrical signals
A ____ reorganizes disk content so that a file's contents are stored in sequential sectors, tracks, and platters. a. disk defragmentation utility b. disk organization utility c. disk defragmentation firmware d. disk reorganization firmware
disk defragmentation utility
The ____, a newer packaging standard, is essentially a SIMM with independent electrical contacts on both sides of the module. a. double inline memory module b. dual inline package c. surface mount package d. zero-insertion force package
double inline memory module
Multiple hard drives can be enclosed in a single storage cabinet; this arrangement is referred to as a ____. a. drive cluster b. drive tray c. drive unit d. drive array
drive array
Software stored in NVM is called ____. a. software b. firmware c. flash storage d. system software
firmware
Current SSDs use ____ as the storage medium. a. SDRAM b. flash RAM c. EEPROMs d. PGAs
flash RAM
A disk with many program and data files scattered on it is said to be ____. a. partitioned b. segmented c. clustered d. fragmented
fragmented
In a CD, flat areas in the reflective layer that represent bit values are called "____." a. lands b. grooves c. rings d. plateaus
lands
The tendency of magnetically charged particles to lose their charge over time is called ____. a. magnetic half-life b. magnetic flux c. magnetic field d. magnetic decay
magnetic decay
A(n) ____ is a ribbon of plastic with a coercible (usually metallic oxide) coating. a. optical disk b. magnetic tape c. magnetic disk d. recordable disk
magnetic tape
Access times for secondary storage devices are typically expressed in ____ or microseconds. a. milliseconds b. exoseconds c. nanoseconds d. picoseconds
milliseconds
A storage device or medium is ____ if it holds data without loss over long periods. a. volatile b. dynamic c. nonvolatile d. Archival
nonvolatile
Memory devices comprised of semiconductors and other forms of RAM with long-term or permanent data retention are generically known as ____. a. volatile memory b. tertiary storage c. nonvolatile memory d. persistent memory
nonvolatile memory
. In a CD, concave dents in the reflective layer that are used to represent bit values are called "____." a. lands b. grooves c. hills d. pits
pits
A ____ device isn't restricted to any specific order when accessing data. a. random access b. serial access c. dynamic access d. linear access
random access
The time the disk controller must wait for the right sector to rotate beneath the heads is called ____. a. track-to-track seek time b. rotational delay c. average access time d. synchronization delay
rotational delay
Modern computers use memory implemented with ____. a. vacuum tubes b. resistors c. quasiconductors d. semiconductors
semiconductors
Programs usually access instructions and data items ____. a. randomly b. dynamically c. repeatedly d. sequentially
sequentially
.A ____ storage device stores and retrieves data items in a linear, or sequential, order. a. direct access b. random access c. dynamic access d. serial access
serial access
A ____ is a storage device that mimics the behavior of a magnetic disk drive but uses flash RAM or other NVM devices as the storage medium and read/write mechanism. a. traditional hard drive b. hybrid hard drive c. solid-state drive d. memory drive
solid-state drive
The ____ is the device or substance that actually holds data. a. storage device b. storage medium c. storage method d. storage speed
storage medium
Read/write circuitry uses ____ data to compensate for minor variations in rotation speed and other factors that might disturb the precise timing needed for reliable reading and writing. a. quantization b. aggregation c. synchronization d. averaging
synchronization
The time needed to move from one track to another is called ____, typically measured in milliseconds. a. track-to-track seek time b. random seek time c. average seek time d. relocation seek time
track-to-track seek time
. A storage device or medium is ____ if it can't hold data reliably for long periods. a. nonvolatile b. volatile c. transient d. archival
volatile
A ____ is a CPU cycle spent waiting for access to an instruction or data. a. wait state b. hold state c. purge state d. clock state
wait state
Modern SSDs use a technique called "____" to spread write operations around the storage medium, thus evening out the impact of destructive writes and extending the storage device's useful life. a. wear aggregation b. wear prevention c. wear mitigation d. wear leveling
wear leveling
