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GCSE Computer Science > 4) Computer Systems > Flashcards

4) Computer Systems Flashcards

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1
Q

What are computer’s hardware devices?

A

Primary storage
Secondary storage
I/O devices
Processors

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2
Q

What is secondary storage?

A

Memory that can store data and instructions not currently in use

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3
Q

What are examples of I/O devices?

A

Keyboard
Mouse
Monitor
Speakers

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4
Q

What are the main types of secondary storage?

A

Hard disk drive (HDD)
Solid state drive (SSD)
Compact disk (CD)
Flash (USB drive)

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5
Q

What are processors?

A

Special components that process data and instructions to control other componets

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6
Q

What are the 2 main types of processor?

A

Central processing unit (CPU)

Graphics processing unit (GPU)

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7
Q

What is primary storage?

A

The memory used to store data or instructions currently in use

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8
Q

What are the types of primary storage?

A

Random access memory (RAM)

Read-only memory (ROM)

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9
Q

What are general purpose systems?

A

Systems capable of performing many different tasks

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10
Q

What are examples of general purpose systems?

A

PCs
Macs
Smartphones

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11
Q

What are embedded systems?

A

Computer systems built into a device to support its function

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12
Q

What is a transistor?

A

An electrical component that acts as an electrically controlled switch

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13
Q

What do transistors do?

A

Temporarily store data

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14
Q

What is the presence of electricity represented by?

A

1

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15
Q

What are transistors arranged into?

A

Circuits

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16
Q

What can transistor circuits do?

A

Perform operations such as calculations

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17
Q

What do multiple transistors create?

A

Logic gates and logic circuits

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18
Q

What are examples of logic gates?

A

AND
OR
NOT
XOR

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19
Q

When does an AND gate output true?

A

If both inputs are true

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20
Q

When does an OR gate output true?

A

If either or both inputs are true

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21
Q

When does a NOT gate output true?

A

If the input is false

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22
Q

What functions can logic circuits perform?

A

Adding numbers

Storing data

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23
Q

What should you evaluate in an expression first?

A

Brackets

NOT (True OR False) –> NOT(True) –> False

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24
Q

What do truth tables show?

A

The input and output state for each combination of a logic circuit

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25
Q

What is the symbol for an AND operator?

A

-

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26
Q

What is the symbol for an OR operator?

A

+

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27
Q

What is the symbol for a NOT operator?

A

A line above the variable

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28
Q

What is the most common type of computer software?

A

Application software

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29
Q

What does application software help a user to do?

A

Complete a given task

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30
Q

What are examples of application software?

A

Presentation software
Word processors
Web browsers

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31
Q

What does ystem software control and provide?

A

Controls the hardware

Provides an environment for applications to run

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32
Q

What are examples of system software?

A

Device drivers
Operating systems (OSs)
Utility software

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33
Q

What are device drivers?

A

Small programs which tell the OS how to use a piece of hardware

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34
Q

What do operating systems (OSs) do?

A

Manage access to hardware in the computer

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35
Q

What does utility software do?

A

Performs maintenance tasks to make sure system operation continues

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36
Q

What are the types of utility software?

A

Defragmentation
Backup
Compression
Decryption

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37
Q

What is defragmentation?

A

Improving hard disk performance by applying an algorithm to reorganise data

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38
Q

What is backup?

A

Making copies of data that can be stored in the event of a data loss

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39
Q

What is compression?

A

Applying an algorithm to reduce the space needed to represent a file

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40
Q

What is encryption?

A

Applying an algorithm to ‘scramble’ data to prevent unauthorised access

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41
Q

What are operating systems?

A

Essential pieces of software that load up when a computer boots up

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42
Q

What is an application programming interface (API)?

A

A set of code libraries developers can use to write applications for that OS

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43
Q

What does API stand for?

A

Application programming interface

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44
Q

What are managers responsible for?

A

Many pieces of hardware

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45
Q

What are the types of manager?

A 
User interface (UI) manager
Device manager
Memory manager
User manager
Process manager
File manager
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46
Q

What does the user interface manager provide?

A

The user interface which allows users to control the computer

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47
Q

What does the device manager allocate?

A

Allocates resources to external hardware devices and allows them to be used by applications

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48
Q

What does the memory manager control?

A

The allocation of memory between applications

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49
Q

What does the user manager do?

A

Authenticates and separates users of the computer

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50
Q

What does the process manager do?

A

Controls the allocation of the CPU cycles to multiple running applications

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51
Q

What does the file manager control?

A

Opening, reading and writing of files in secondary storage

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52
Q

What does the user interface do?

A

Allow users to interact with a computer system

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53
Q

What does CLI stand for?

A

Command line interface

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54
Q

What is a command line interface (CLI)?

A

An environment where the computer is controlled by typing text commands on a keyboard
The computer cannot display graphics

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55
Q

What does GUI stand for?

A

Graphical user interface

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56
Q

What are graphical user interfaces (GUIs)?

A

A UI based on the window-icon-menu pointer model or

A multi-touch surface

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57
Q

What does WIMP stand for?

A

Window-icon-menu-pointer

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58
Q

What does the memory manager allocate?

A

RAM to each running process

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59
Q

What does the device manager allow and keep track of?

A

Which devices are connected at each port

Allows applications to read or write data

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60
Q

What is multiple applications running at once known as?

A

Multitasking

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61
Q

What are examples of peripheral devices?

A

Keyboard
Mouse
Printer
Webcam

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62
Q

What 3 things does the file manager control?

A

Access rights
Locations
File types

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63
Q

What are the possible file access rights?

A

Read
Modify
Execute

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64
Q

What is a single-user OS?

A

A OS which supports one user at a time

65
Q

What is a multi-user OS?

A

An OS which allows several users to be connected at the same time

66
Q

What does the user manager keep track of?

A

Which users can access the system
Who is logged in
Authentication
Decisions based on access rights

67
Q

What are all modern CPUs based on?

A

Von Neumann Architecture

68
Q

What does ALU stand for?

A

Arithmetic logic unit

69
Q

What does the ALU do?

A

Performs arithmetic and logical operations of the CPU

70
Q

What are examples of arithmetic and logical operations in the CPU?

A

Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
Comparisons
Boolean operations

71
Q

What does CU stand for?

A

Control unit

72
Q

What does the control unit do?

A

Sends out signals to other parts of the CPU

Executes the FDE cycle

73
Q

What 2 parts is the control unit made up of?

A

The clock

The decoder

74
Q

What does the CU clock do?

A

Coordinates the CPU’s activity

75
Q

What does the CU decoder do?

A

Decodes the program instructions

76
Q

What are CPU registers?

A

Tiny amounts of super-quick memory

Used to hold information needed for CPU to work

77
Q

What does MDR stand for?

A

Memory data register

78
Q

What does MAR stand for?

A

Memory address register

79
Q

What does the MDR do?

A

Holds the data that has been or is about to be stored in memory

80
Q

What does the MAR do?

A

Holds the address of the location in memory where data is to be retrieved or stored

81
Q

What does a CPU PC stand for?

A

Program counter

82
Q

What does the program counter do?

A

Holds the memory location address of the next instruction to be performed by the CPU

83
Q

What does ACC stand for?

A

Accumulator?

84
Q

What does the ACC do?

A

Holds the result of calculations and operations peformed by the ALU

85
Q

How does a processor retrieve and process instructions and data from memory?

A

By following the FDE cycle

86
Q

What happens in the fetch stage of the FDE cycle?

A

Address of next instruction copied from PC to MAR, PC incremented to point to the next intsruction, instruction stored at location held by MAR is copied to the MDR

87
Q

What happens in the decode stage of the FDE cycle?

A

CU decodes information and sends signals to the component within or outside the CPU that needs to act

88
Q

What happens in the decode stage of the FDE cycle?

A

Operation indicated by instruction is performed by appropriate component
e.g. ALU performs operation given by CU

89
Q

What factors affect CPU performance?

A

Clock speed
Cache type
Core amount

90
Q

What triggers the next stage of the FDE cycle?

A

CPU’s clock sends a pulse at fixed intervals

91
Q

What does higher clock speed mean for instructions?

A

Higher clock speed = more pulses per second = more instructions executed in the same amount of time

92
Q

What are the cache types?

A

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3

93
Q

What are characteristics of level 1 cache?

A

Fastest but smallest cache

Found inside CPU

94
Q

What are characteristics of level 2 cache?

A

Second fastest and large cache than level 1

Found on a secondary chip close to CPU

95
Q

What are characteristics of level 3 cache?

A

Slowest but largest cache

Found on a chip between CPU and main store

96
Q

What is cache?

A

Very small, very fast memory found inside or very close to the CPU

97
Q

What is stored in cache memory?

A

Frequently accessed data amd instructions

Avoid accessing RAM

98
Q

What does each core have?

A

Control unit

Arithmetic logic unit

99
Q

What is each core capable of?

A

Processing instructions independently

100
Q

What does cores share?

A

Access to cache and main memory

101
Q

What do multiple cores allow?

A

The CPU to process multiple instructions at the same time

102
Q

What are characteristics of RAM?

A

Volatile
Fast
Random access
Expensive

103
Q

What does volatile mean?

A

Content lost when power is lost

104
Q

What does random access mean?

A

All parts of memory can be accessed equally as quickly

105
Q

What does ROM come on?

A

A small factory made chip on the motherboard

106
Q

What type of memory is ROM often made from?

A

Flash memory so contents cannot be changed easily

107
Q

What does ROM store?

A

Small programs that boot up or start up the computer

108
Q

What are programs that boot up the computer called?

A

Basic Input Output System (BIOS)

109
Q

What does BIOS stand for?

A

Basic Input Ouput System

110
Q

What does a BIOS usually do?

A

Load an operating system

Check the system for errors

111
Q

What are characteristics of ROM?

A

Read only
Non-volatile
Fast but expensive

112
Q

What is solid state storage often referred to as?

A

Flash storage or flash memory

113
Q

How reliable are solid state drives and why?

A

Robust
No moving parts
Not easily damaged by shocks
Limited number or read/ write cycles

114
Q

What does SSD stand for?

A

Solid state drive

115
Q

How can data be accessed on SSDs?

A

Random access as there is no moving parts

116
Q

How do SSDs store a bit?

A

Flash memory stores the value of each bit in a semiconductor chip

117
Q

What are properties of SSDs?

A

High speed
High cost
Good capacity
Good reliability

118
Q

How is a bit stored on magnetic storage?

A

Each bit is represented as a postively or negatively charged magnetic particles

119
Q

What are magnetic particles stored on?

A

A magnetic disk called the platter

120
Q

How is data accessed on magnetic storage?

A

To read/ write data we need to find the location on the disk

A magnetic read/ write head is used to access data while the platter spins

121
Q

How reliable is magnetic storage?

A

Moving parts so subject to wear-and-tear
Can be damaged by shocks
Not robust

122
Q

What does HDD stand for?

A

Hard disk drive

123
Q

What are properties of magnetic storage?

A

High capacity
Low cost
Low speed
Good reliability

124
Q

What storage type is popular for archives and home computers?

A

Magnetic storage

125
Q

What are examples of magnetic storage?

A

Hard disk drives (HDDs)
Hybrid drives
Magnetic tape

126
Q

What are hybrid drives?

A

A combination of magnetic and SSD storage offers the benefits of both systems

127
Q

What did magnetic tape used to be popular for?

A

Distributing content:
Audio
Video
Software

128
Q

What is magnetic tape currently used for?

A

Making backups

129
Q

How does optical storage work?

A

Uses laser light to retrieve data from the surface of optical media

130
Q

What are the types of physical storages?

A

Solid state drives (SSDs)
Magnetic storage
Optical storage

131
Q

What is optical storage often used to deliver?

A

Multimedia content such as video

132
Q

What does multimedia mean?

A

Combining media types such as sound and image

133
Q

How is a bit stored on optical storage?

A

A bit is represented as a microscopic hole or a flat surface on the surface of a disk

134
Q

What is an optical storage hole called?

A

A pit

135
Q

What is an optical storage flat surface called?

A

A land

136
Q

How is data accessed on optical storage?

A

A lasher is shone and the disk and will be reflected to a sensor on a land and elsewhere on a pit

137
Q

What are properties of optical storage?

A

Good reliability
Good capacity
Low cost
Low speed

138
Q

What makes optical storage ideal for transportation?

A

Shockproof

Waterproof

139
Q

What does robust storage mean?

A

Resistant to shocks

140
Q

What are examples of optical storage?

A

Digital versatile disk (DVD)
Blu-ray disks (BD)
Compact disk (CD)

141
Q

What does DVD stand for?

A

Digital versatile disk

142
Q

What does CD stand for?

A

Compact disk

143
Q

How much data can a DVD store?

A

4.7GB

144
Q

How much data can a BD store?

A

25GB

145
Q

What does BD stand for?

A

Blu-ray disk

146
Q

How much data can a CD store?

A

700MB

147
Q

What are the types of optical media standards?

A

Read only media
Re-writable (RW)
Write once (R)

148
Q

What does the cloud refer to?

A

Storages, devces and applications that exist on the internet rather than local secondary storage

149
Q

What is the cloud often used to store?

A

Files
Audio and video
Applications
Servers

150
Q

What are examples of cloud applications?

A

Google docs
Microsoft office 365
Gmail

151
Q

Where do cloud services exist?

A

Giant data centres around the world

152
Q

Why does data centres opt for expensive storage devices?

A

Time taken to access the data needs to be minimised

153
Q

What does RAID stand for?

A

Redundant Array of Inexpensive Data

154
Q

What is a RAID configuration?

A

A techniquewhere multiple small secondary storage devices can be combined together to provide a larger device

155
Q

What can a RAID configuration provide?

A

Error recovery

156
Q

How does a RAID configuration provide error recovery?

A

If a drive in the RAID system fails, data is kept on the other drives which helps reocover lost data

157
Q

What are pros of the cloud?

A

Updates
Easy access
Security

158
Q

What are cons of the cloud?

A

Privacy
Internet connection needed
Pricing changes

GCSE Computer Science (6 decks)

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