chapter 4 vocab

Question 1

Sample

Answer 1

The part of a sound wave that is captured, measured, and assigned a numeric value during digital sound recording.

Question 2

Bit Depth

Answer 2

The amount of memory used to store the numeric value of a sound sample during digital sound recording. 8-bit sound uses eight bits (or one byte) to store the value of each sample. 16-bit sound uses two bytes per sample. Generally speaking, the better the bit depth, the better the sound.

Question 3

Sampling Rate

Answer 3

The number of individual samples taken each second during digital sound recording. Measured in Hertz, the higher the sampling rate, the better the recording. Most modern sound recordings are made at 44.1 kHz.

Question 4

Frame Rate

Answer 4

The number of images, or frames, that are taken each second during digital video recording. Most digital videos have a frame rate of about 30 frames per second.

Question 5

Resolution

Answer 5

The number of pixels in the width and height of each frame in a digital video recording. The higher the resolution, the clearer the image will be.

Question 6

Color Depth

Answer 6

The amount of memory the computer uses to display colors in a digital image or a digital video. 8-bit color images use one byte of data for each pixel. 24-bit color uses three bytes for each pixel.

Question 7

RGB Display

Answer 7

A display on a computer monitor that is made up of sets of tiny red, green, and blue (RGB) lights, each set combining to make a pixel. A pixel will display different colors depending on the brightness of each light.

Question 8

Raster Images

Answer 8

Images stored by dividing a picture into rows of pixels and collecting the color values of each pixel, in order, row-by-row.

Question 9

Vector Images

Answer 9

Images stored by mathematically describing the shapes in the image. A circle might be stored as a center point and the distance from the center point to the circle’s edge. A square is stored as four lines, each with a beginning point and a length. More complex shapes can be stored as a set of small lines.

Question 10

File Compression

Answer 10

A way of reducing the size of files, making them easier to store.

Question 11

Lossless Compression

Answer 11

A compression algorithm, such as GIF, PNG, PDF, and ZIP, that doesn’t affect the original data. A file compressed using a lossless compression algorithm, when decompressed, will be exactly the same as the file before compression, bit for bit.

Question 12

Lossy Compression

Answer 12

A compression algorithm, such as JPG, MP3, and MP4, that slightly alters the data to make it easier to store, taking advantage of the limitations of human sight and hearing, and is usually used for images, videos, and audio files.

Question 13

Run-Length Encoding

Answer 13

A common lossless compression algorithm that looks for repeated patterns of bits or bytes and records the pattern and then number of times the pattern is repeated.

Question 14

Compression Artifact

Answer 14

A patch of pixels in a compressed image or video that have less visible detail than the rest of the image.

Question 15

Bitrate

Answer 15

Kilobits of audio data processed each second.

Question 16

Video Codecs

Answer 16

Pieces of software that either compress or decompress digital media.

Question 17

Wireframes

Answer 17

The first step in designing a 3D model which provides the outline of the model, including only the vertices and lines without including any surfaces, textures, or lighting.

Question 18

Rendering

Answer 18

The second step in designing a 3D model which converts the models into 2D images on a computer.

Question 19

Ray Tracing

Answer 19

An advanced rendering method that is used to create incredibly realistic lighting effects for things like video games and movies.