Chapter 1: Types and Components of A Computer System Flashcards
What are the two things that make up a computer system?
Hardware and software
What is hardware?
Hardware is the tangible physical components that make up a computer system that you can touch and feel.
What is software?
Software is the programs that can control a computer system.
Are these hardware or software:
1.Keyboard
2.Mobile Phone
3.Virus Checker
4.Chip
Hardware, hardware, software, hardware
What are the two types of software?
Application Software and System Software
What are Application Software?
They are programs that allow the user to perform a specific task
When we list examples of Application Software, do we use brand names?
NO, TECHNICAL NAMES ONLY
What are some examples of Application Software?
Some examples are:
-Word Processor
-Spreadsheet
-Database
-Presentation
-Control and measuring software
-Apps
-Applet
-Photo editing
-Video editing
-Graphics editing
-Audio production and editing
-Computer-Aided design
What is System Software?
They are programs that let the hardware run properly and the user communicate with the computer.
What are a few examples of System Software?
Some examples are:
-Complier
-Linkers
-Device Driver
-Operating System(OS)
-Utilities
What does a compiler do?
A compiler transforms high-level language to machine language
What do linkers do?
A linker links multiple compiled programs
What are the two types of hardware?
Internal and external
What is internal hardware?
It is the computer parts that are found inside a computer.
What are some examples of internal hardware?
-Motherboard
-CPU
-RAM
-ROM
-Video card
-Sound card
-HDD
-SSD
What are the types of data?
Analogue and digital
In analogue, how is information represented by?
It is represented by a quantity that is a continuous variable such as an electric current
True or False?
Physical measurements are digital
False
In digital, how is information represented by?
It is represented by a fixed value, usually by the digits 1 and 0.
Analogue signals are denoted by…
Sine waves
Digital signals are denoted by…
Square waves
Are these examples of analogue or digital data?
1. Human voice
2. Computers
3. CDs
4.DVDs
5. Thermometer
6. Speakers
1.Analogue
2. Digital
3. Digital
4. Digital
5. Analogue
6. Analogue
What does ADC stand for and what is it?
It stands for Analogue to Digital Converter. It is a device that is used to convert Analogue signal to Digital signals
What does DAC stand for and what is it?
It stands for Digital to Analogue Converter. It is a device that is used to convert Digital signal to Analogue signals
What is an actuator?
An actuator is a device that causes a machine or other device to work
Data from the sensor needs to be converted
from analogue to digital before it is processed.
Explain the need for this conversion:
The sensor only reads analogue data while the microprocessor only reads digital data
What are the three types of external hardware?
Input, out, storage
What are two examples of input devices?
Keyboard and mouse
What are two examples of output devices?
Monitor and printer
What are two examples of storage devices?
DVD R/Q drive and removable hard drive
What is a CPU?
It is the part of a computer that interprets and executes the commands from the computer hardware and software. It is a part of a computer’s motherboard made of discrete components and integrated circuits.
What are the three main components of the CPU?
- Control Unit
- Arithmetic and Logical Unit
- Immediate Access Store
What does the Control Unit do?
It controls the input and output devices
What does the ALU do?
It performs calculations and decision-making
What does the IAS do?
It holds the data and program instruction being used currently by the CPU
Where are the application software, disk, OS, and files stored?
In the computer’s main internal storage, HDD or SSD
What are the advantages of main internal storage?
- Fast data transfer/access times
- Large capacity
What does RAM stand for?
Random Access Memory
What is RAM used for?
It stores the running applications and software
Is RAM volatile?
Yes
True or false:
RAM is read only
False, it is read and write
What does ROM stand for?
Read-Only Memory
What is the use of ROM?
It stores the program required to initially boot the computer
Is ROM volatile?
No, it is non-volatile
True or false:
ROM is read only
True
What does BIOS do?(list three things)
It tells the computer what to do when it first starts, carries out the hardware check when the computer is turned on, and it loads the OS into the RAM.
True or false:
BIOS stores date, time, and system configuration in a volatile chip
False, it stores them in a non-volatile chip
What are the 6 functions of the OS?
It controls and maintains the hardware, supervises the loading, running, and storage of application programs, deals with errors that occur in application programs, maintains security for the whole computer system, maintains a computer log, and allows communication between the user and computer system.
What are four types of UI?
CLI, GUI, dialogue-based interface, gesture-based interface
What is CLI?
CLI is a type of UI where the user needs to learn and type commands to tell the computer what to do. The user mustn’t make any typing errors. Technicians usually use CLI because it can access everything on the computer system.
What are some advantages for CLI?
When you know the correct commands, using this interface will be a lot faster than using another interface type, it uses less memory, can be used with cheap monitors, and doesn’t need Windows to run.
What are some disadvantages for CLI?
It can be confusing, making a typing error will make the command fail and you’ll need to start typing all over again, and you will need to learn many complicated commands.
What is GUI?
It is a user interface that is user-friendly since it uses WIMP.
What does WIMP stand for?
W- Windows
I-Icons
M-Menus
P-Pointer
What are some advantages for GUI?
It is easy to use, easy to explore and find your way around the system, and you don’t need to learn commands
What are some disadvantages for GUI?
It takes up a larger amount of hard disk space, uses more memory to run, uses more processing power, and can seem slow to programmers who have used CLI.
What is Dialogue-based interface?
It is a User Interface that allows a user to interact with the computer through a spoken word or phrase. In return, the computer carries out an action.
What are some advantages of dialogue-based interface?
It allows hand-free control, the user doesn’t need to be trained, and it is safer when operating machinery
What are some disadvantages of dialogue-based interface?
The user will have to learn the commands to be used, the users need to train the interface with their voice, it isn’t reliable if there is background noise, it isn’t suitable for safety-critical commands, and it is expensive since it’s complex to command.
What is gesture-based interface?
It is a User Interface that uses computer sensors to detect and understand human gestures and movements, usually of the face and hands, without touching a physical device.
What are some advantages of gesture-based interface?
You don’t need to be close to the device(you can do the gestures from where you already are),you don’t need to use a pointing device, and you don’t need to enter commands with a keyboard.
What are some disadvantages of gesture-based interface?
The user needs to learn which gestures to use for their request, they might have to wear motion-tracking gloves, and the system needs to recognise the face and hand gestures.
What are PCs made up of?
A separate monitor, keyboard, mouse, and processing unit.
What are PCs used for?
Office work, education, playing games, entertainment
What are some advantages of a PC?
The spare parts have low costs, it has better specifications, the large casing allows good dissipation of heat build-up, is less likely to be damaged, power consumption isn’t critical, and internet access is more stable.
What are some disadvantages of a PC?
They aren’t portable, the wiring clutters up the desk space, and it is necessary to copy files because they aren’t portable.
True or false:
Laptops refer to computers with a monitor, keyboard, pointing device, and processor separated
False, it refers to them together in a single unit
What are some advantages of a laptop?
They are portable, don’t have trailing wires, have full advantage of Wi-Fi, and can link to any multimedia system.
What are some disadvantages of a laptop?
They are easy to steal, have a limited battery, the keyboard and pointing devices is awkward to use, and heat dissipation is difficult because of the laptop’s structure.
True or false:
Tablets are internet-enabled portable computers that use touch-screen technology.
True
What are the four sensors a tablet uses?
Proximity sensors, accelerometer, sophisticated speech- recognitions system, and touch screens
What are proximity sensors used to detect?
They are used to detect if the device is close to something
What is an accelerometer used to detect?
It is used to detect movement of the device
What are some advantages of a tablet?
They are very fast to switch on, fully portable, use touch-screen technology, use several Apps as standard, don’t generate heat, have a long battery life, it goes into standby but still remains connected to the internet when the power button is pressed, it accesses the internet through Wi-Fi or 3G/4G/5G, has less weight, and has front and back-facing cameras.
What are some disadvantages of a tablet?
They have limited memory, are expensive to run, you will need to type on a touch screen, transferring of files needs to be done through an “App Store”, and they support fewer types of file formats.
True or false:
Smartphones allow normal phone calls to be made but also have an OS that allows it to run a number of computer applications
True
What are the uses of smartphones?
They can help you send and receive emails, surf the net, use GPS, use a calendar, telephone banking, Voice over Internet Protocol, stream videos and music, access social media, and message people instantly.
What are some advantages of a smartphone?
They are small and light, can be used to make phone calls and can connect to the internet while on the move, can be used anywhere, have hundreds of apps, and have a reasonable battery life.
What are some disadvantages of a smartphone?
They have small screens so reading pages and typing may be difficult, web browsing and photography can drain the battery quickly, they have a small memory size, not all website features are compatible, easy to lose, the data transfer rate is slower than Wi-Fi.
What is a phablet?
It is a smartphone with a screen size that is larger than a smartphone but smaller than a tablet.
What is AI?
It is the ability of a digital computer to perform tasks the need some sort of intelligence
What are 4 examples of AI?
Biometric systems, autonomous machines, analysis test results in the medical field, robotics
True or false:
Biometrics use dynamic profiling and some examples are fingerprint identification systems and facial-recognition systems
True
What is the difference between industrial robots and AI robots?
Industrial robots do the same task over and over again very well, and can’t teach themselves another task unless a human reprograms them while an AI robot modifies its own behaviour to achieve other outcomes without a human reprogramming them.
What is XR?
Extended Reality uses immersive technology to put us in a virtual or combined virtual and reality enviroments
What are two types of XR?
VR and AR
What is VR?
It is an artificial environment that is created by a software. The users will need to use data goggles, sensor suits, data gloves, and helmets.
What areas is VR is used in?(You don’t need to say all just say as many as you can)
Military applications, heritage, education, business, healthcare, real estate, entertainment, engineering, sport, fashion, media, and scientific visualisation.
What is AR?
It is a type of XR that allows the user to interact with the real world and virtual world at the same time using data goggles, smartphones, or phablets.
