Basic Functions of Computers Flashcards
What basic tasks does all computers perform?
Input, Processing & Output
What is a Network Card?
A network card is an output device when data is sent from the computer to the network
What is an input device?
Is when data comes from the network to the computer
What is the computer’s main processing component?
CPU
What are the CPU processors called?
Cores
What is a Multicore CPU used for
Multicore CPU enables computers to carry out multiple instructions simultaneously.
What are output components?
Monitors, printers, storage devices, network cards, sound cards etc.
What is short-term storage?
Short-term storage is the random access memory (RAM) on a computer. RAM is short-term storage because when power to the computer is turned off, RAM’s contents are gone.
What is long-term storage?
Long-term storage maintains its data even when there’s no power.
What is a binary digits
The basic storage unit for data on a computer (bit is short for binary digits)
If you want to convert bits to bytes what do you do?
Divide by 8
If you want to convert bytes to bits what do you do?
Multiply by 8
What is the motherboard?
the nerve center of a computer
What is a chipset?
A component on a motherboard that controls data transfers between memory, expansion slots, I/O devices and the CPU
What is a bus?
A collection of wires that carry data from one place to another on a computer’s motherboard.
Why are SSD (Solid-state drives) used?
SSd’s are used in place of hard drives in many systems because of their speed and reliability.
What type of storage does SSD’s use?
SSD uses flash memory storage.
What is Flash memory Storage
Flash memory storage contains no moving parts and has faster access times than a mechanical hard drive.
What is volatile memory
A type of computer storage in which continual electrical power is required to maintain the data stored in it.
RAM is so much faster than a hard drive, true or false?
TRUE
What is a key component in EVERY COMPUTER?
Its firmware
What is Firmware
A computer program stored in nonvolatile memory that is executed when a computer is first turned on
What is nonvolatile memory?
A type of computer storage that maintains its data after power is removed.
What is Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) ?
The firmware found on newer PCs that is executed when the computer is powered on. Its main task is to tell the CPU to perform tasks when power is applied to the computer.
Whaat is Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)?
A type of low-power memory that is used to store configuration information for a PC.
What is a network?
Two or more computers connected by a transmission medium that allows them to communicate.
What is a stand-alone computer?
A computer that does NOT have the necessary hardware or software to communicate on a network.
What is a Network interface card (NIC)
Its an add-on card that’s plugged into a motherboard expansion slot and provides a connection between the computer and the network.
What is a Network medium?
A cable that plugs into the NIC makes the connection between a computer and the rest of the network.
What is an interconnecting device?
This component isn’t always necessary because two computers can be connected directly with a cable.
Network client software
The application or OS service that can request information stored on another comuter.
Network server software
Allows a computer to share its resources by fielding resource request.
Network protocols
The software defining the rules and formats a computer must use when sending information across the network.
NIC driver
After a network protocol has formatted a message correctly, it hands the data off to the NIC driver for transmission onto the network.
How many addresses does a computer have?
TWO
What is a logical address?
is the IP address
What is the physical address?
the physical address is called the Media Access Control address (MAC)
Name server
A computer that stores names and addresses of computer on a network, allowing other computers to use computer names.
