Ch. 1.2: Computer Systems: Hardware and Software Flashcards
What is hardware?
Refers to the physical components of which a computer is made.
What does it mean when a computer is running/executing?
Performing the tasks that a program tells it to do.
What is the central processing unit/CPU?
The part of a computer that runs programs.
What is a microprocessor?
Today’s CPU’s are known as microprocessors.
What is the control unit?
Part of the CPU that coordinates all of the computer’s operations.
What is the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU)?
Part of the CPU that performs mathematical operations.
What is the fetch/decode/execute cycle?
The process of a computer when running a program.
What is the fetch cycle?
When the CPU’s control unit fetches, from main memory, the next instruction in the sequence of program instructions.
What is the decode cycle?
The instruction is encoded in the form of a number. The control unit decodes the instruction and generates an electronic signal.
What is the execute cycle?
The signal is routed to the appropriate component of the computer such as the ALU, a disk drive, or some other device. The signal causes the component to perform an operation.
What is random-access memory?
The CPU’s main memory which is able to quickly access data stored at any random location in RAM. Usually temporary storage.
What is a byte?
One byte is enough memory to store only a letter of the alphabet or small number.
What is a bit or binary digit?
Tiny electrical components that can hold either a positive or negative charge. Positive is on, and negative is off.
What is an address?
Each byte is assigned a unique number known as an address.
What is secondary storage?
A type of memory that can hold data for long periods of time even when there is no power to the computer, such as a disk drive, solid-state drive, memory card, or external drive.
What is an input device?
The device that collects the information and sends it to a computer such as a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, scanner, digital camera, and/or microphone.
What is an output device?
A device that sends, formats, and presents information to the outside world such as screens, printers, speakers, or storage devices.
What is an operating system?
The fundamental set of programs on a computer that controls the internal operations of the computer’s hardware, manages all the devices connected to the computer and allows data to be saved to a retrieved from storage devices.
What is a utility program?
Performs a specialized task that enhances the computer’s operation or safeguards data, such as virus scanners, file compression programs, and data backup programs.
What is a software development tool?
Tools that programmers use to create, modify and test software such as compilers and integrated development environments.
What is application software?
The programs people normally spend most of their time running on their computers, like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or web browsers, email programs, and games.
