Basic Computer Terms

Question 1

Hardware

Answer 1

Physical parts of a computer.

Question 2

CPU

Answer 2

The brains of the computer; central Processing Unit, controls the other elements of the computer.

Question 3

Disk Drive

Answer 3

A peripheral that reads and or writes information on a disk.

Question 4

Hard Drive

Answer 4

A device used that reads and writes information, including the operating system, program files, and data files.

Question 5

Keyboard

Answer 5

A peripheral used to import data by pressing keys

Question 6

Modem

Answer 6

A peripheral device used to connect a computer to another over a phone line.

Question 7

Monitor

Answer 7

A device used to display information visually

Question 8

Mouse

Answer 8

A peripheral device used to point to items on a monitor.

Question 9

Printer

Answer 9

A peripheral device that converts outputs on a monitor into a printed image.

Question 10

Software

Answer 10

Instructions executed by a computer.

Question 11

Applications

Answer 11

Complete, self-contained programs that perform a specific function.

Question 12

Boot

Answer 12

The process of loading of initializing an operating system on a computer, usually occurs when the computer is turned on.

Question 13

Browser

Answer 13

A program used to view the World Wide Web pages. such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer

Question 14

Bug

Answer 14

A part of a program that usually causes the computer to malfunction. Usually fixed in patches or updates.

Question 15

Byte

Answer 15

Small unit of data storage; 8 bits; usually holds usually holds one character.

Question 16

Click

Answer 16

Occurs when a user presses a button on a mouse which in turn; generates a command to the computer

Question 17

Double Click

Answer 17

Occurs when a user presses a button twice on a mouse in quick succession; this generates a command to the computer.

Question 18

Download

Answer 18

Transferring data from your computer to another.

Question 19

Drag

Answer 19

Occurs when a user points the mouse at an icon or folder, presses the button and without releasing the button, moves the folder or icon to another place on the computer screen when the button is released

Question 20

FAQ

Answer 20

Frequently Asked Question; documents that answer questions common to a particular website or program

Question 21

File

Answer 21

Namable unit of data storage; an element of data storage; a single sequence of bytes.

Question 22

Gigabyte

Answer 22

1,073,741,824 bytes or 1,024 megabytes; generally abbreviated GB

Question 23

Icon

Answer 23

A small picture or image used to represent a file or program with a GUI interface.

Question 24

Internet

Answer 24

A network of computers encompassing the World Wide Web, FTP, telnet, and many other protocols.

Question 25

Kilobyte

Answer 25

1,024 bytes; usually abbreviated as KB

Question 26

Megabyte

Answer 26

1,073,576 bytes or 1,024 kilobytes; enough to approximately equal a 600 page paper-back book; generally abbreviated to MB.

Question 27

Memory

Answer 27

A device that holds computer data.

Question 28

Menu

Answer 28

A list of operation available to the user of the program.

Question 29

Network

Answer 29

A collection of computers that are connected

Question 30

RAM

Answer 30

Random access memory; the type of storage that changes; when the computer is turned off, the RAM memory is erased.

Question 31

ROM

Answer 31

Read-only memory; the type of storage that does not change when the computer is turned off.

Question 32

Scroll Bar

Answer 32

Allows the user to control which portion of the document is visible in the window; either available horizontally or vertically or both.

Question 33

Spreadsheet

Answer 33

A program arranged in rows and columns that manipulates numbers.

Question 34

Tool Bar

Answer 34

A graphical representation of program activities; a row of icons used to perform tasks in a program.

Question 35

URL

Answer 35

Uniform resource location; the address of a site on the World Wide Web; a standard way of locating objects on the internet.

Question 36

Virus

Answer 36

A deliberately harmful computer program designed to create annoying glitches or destroy data.

Question 37

Word Processer

Answer 37

A program that allows the user to create primarily text documents.