Basics Flashcards
What are the physical parts of a computer system called?
Hardware
What is the name for data entered into a system?
Input
What happens to data after processing?
Output
What is the word for manipulating data in various ways?
Processing
If information is kept for later it is
Stored
What is the main component of a modern computer?
Microprocessor
What is the “brain” of the computer called?
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
What types of devices would have microprocessors?
eg. Computers, DVD players, washing machines, cars
The part of the computer system that cannot be touched
Software
Name two types of software
Operating system, applications software
What is a motherboard?
The main circuit board in the computer, with slots to plug in other boards.
What is interactive processing?
The computer responds to inputs from the user, eg a computer game.
What is multi-tasking?
Running more than one application at the time, for instance, printing, calculating a spreadsheet and playing a game.
What is real-time processing?
Updating the system as soon as something happens, for instance, reducing the number of washing machines in stock as soon as one is sold.
What is online processing?
Processing via an internet connection, for instance, reading emails and downloading attachments.
What are multi-user systems?
Systems that allow many users to use them at the same time, for instance showmyhomework.
What does ROM stand for?
Read-only memory.
What is in the computers ROM?
Instructions that are put there by the manufacturer, which cannot be modified. They would be used for booting up, for instance.
What does RAM stand for?
Random access memory
What is in the computers RAM?
The programs and data that the computer is working on,
What happens to ROM when the computer is switched off?
Nothing, it stays there.
What happens to RAM when the computer is switched off?
It is wiped totally.
Name some input devices?
eg keyboard, mouse, card reader, scanner, touchscreen
Name some output devices?
eg speaker, printer, screen
What is secondary storage?
Any device used for storing data that will not be wiped when turned off.
What is the normal main secondary storage for a personal computer?
The hard drive
Name some secondary storage devices
eg DVDs, CDs, flash drives
What is the user interface?
The way the computer interacts with the person using it, so input devices, output devices, and the screen.
What is GUI?
Graphical User Interface, having a screen that interacts with icons, menus, pointers, etc
What is a hyperlink?
Links to other web pages or files.
What is the resolution?
How many dots make up the image, the more dots per inch the better the image
What is a menu user interface?
A way of restricting the user to a few options on a menu/
What is the file path?
The address of a file showing the folders that it is in, starting from the top.
What is the file extension?
A code that defines the type of file. Put on the end of the file name after a dot.
Why should you avoid special characters in file names?
Some operating systems do not allow them.
Where would you store a collection of very large files (eg a collection of films)
An external hard drive.
How much data fits onto a CD?
650 MB
How much data fits onto a DVD?
4.7 GB
How much data fits onto a USB memory stick?
Depends on the stick, up to 256GB is common
How much data can be put onto a portable hard drive?
4 TB is now common
What is “zipping” files?
Compressing them to make them smaller to send. They need to be unzipped at the other end.
What is meant by “encoding” data?
Changing data from one form to another, for instance, instead of typing in the word blue a code of 1 will be assigned.
What is the word for the file becoming unreadable?
Corrupt
What is likely to happen if you store too much on your computer?
If you fill up the hard drive the computer will run very slowly.
Why would you use an ergonomic keyboard?
They are specially shaped to make typing easier and to reduce strain on the users hands.
What is OMR?
Optical Mark Recognition - used for multiple choice exams
What is OCR?
Optical Character Recognition, getting the computer to read text.
What are the problems with OCR?
Handwriting is hard for a computer to read, so accuracy can be a problem. Computer easily confused by marks.
What is a plotter?
A specialised printer that can draw graphs. or engineering drawers.
What is a buffer?
An area of storage where data is placed until the output device can deal with it. eg a printer will have a buffer to store the printout while it prints.
What is a byte?
A single character, usually made up of 8 bits (individual 1s and 0s).
What is a megabyte?
1024 bytes
What is a gigabyte?
1024 MB
What is a terabyte?
1024 GB
What is a backup?
A copy of the data in case of data being stolen or corrupted
Why use off site backups?
Losing data can, at worst, cause a company to fold, so keeping copies of data in a different place can be sensible.
What are optical drives?
DVD drives and CD drives, both read by laser.
What is virtual memory?
A way of using part of the hard drive to provide additional RAM, to make the computer run faster.
What is online storage?
Data storage via the internet.
What is LAN?
A Local Area Network, a way of connecting computers that are physically close together - eg a school
What is WAN?
A Wide Area Network, a way of linking all the computers in a company, which may be in different towns/ countries.
What is WWW?
World Wide Web - A system of internet servers that supports a collection of internet pages which are interconnected via hyperlinks.
What is VOIP?
Voice over internet protocol - a way of using the internet for cheap phone calls - eg skype.
What is a modem?
Until recently, it was the way to connect to the internet via the telephone line. It translated the digital signal to analog , and back again. (Stands for modulator/demodulator)
What is a dongle?
A way of connecting to the internet using a SIM card, using the dongle as a modem.
What is a server?
A computer being used to manage a computer network.
What is a digital signal?
A signal that can have only two values, on and off.
What is an analog signal?
A signal that varies continuously
What is bandwidth?
The rate at which data can be transferred
What is a SIM card?
A Subscriber Identity Module Card, a card inserted into a mobile phone or dongle that provides the device with a unique id.
What is an Integrated entertainment system?
A system that provides TV,music, video, audio, gaming entertainment.
What is a cookie?
A file that enables a website to remember you, and can also be used to track you. The website stores a small text file on your computer.
