computer systems summary

Question 1

what does CPU stand for?

Answer 1

central processing unit

Question 2

which part of the CPU performs calculations?

Answer 2

arithmetic logic unit

Question 3

T/F? The CPU can access primary storage faster than secondary storage?

Answer 3

True

Question 4

which of these have no moving parts, an HDD or an SSD?

Answer 4

SSD

Question 5

what does encryption software do?

Answer 5

scrambles data to stop other users from being able to read it

Question 6

describe what a file’s extension is used for

Answer 6

to identify its format and which program should be used to open it

Question 7

what is the difference between data and information?

Answer 7

data only become information when given context/meaning

Question 8

what are the three steps that a computer goes throuugh when handling data?

Answer 8

input, process, output

Question 9

how many bits are in a byte?

Answer 9

8

Question 10

is a projector an input or output device?

Answer 10

output

Question 11

volatile memory will ____ any data stored on it after the power supply to the computer has been turned off

Answer 11

lose

Question 12

the instructions that tell a computer how to boot up are stored in ___, which is a type of _____ memory

Answer 12

ROM, non-volatile

Question 13

explain the difference between the ‘Save’ and ‘Save as’ command

Answer 13

If the file has already been saved, ‘Save’ will overwrite the original with the newer file whereas ‘Save as’ stores a copy of a file under a different file name

Question 14

name two file management commands controlled by the operating system

Answer 14

options:
'Rename'
'Delete'
'Copy'
'Move'

Question 15

sarah is deciding how she should store the photos that she takes while on holiday. Suggest one advantage and one disadvantage of using an external HDD instead of an external SSDs

REWRITE THE ANSWER

Answer 15

advantages:
portable - transport large amounts of data
SSDs are silent, shockproof, faster read/write speeds
HDDs are relativley cheap, have a long read/write life, high capacity

disadvantages:
SSDs are expensive, lower capacity
HDDs are less shock proof, suffer from fragmentation, loud, slower read/write speed

Question 16

name one optical disc

Answer 16

options:
CD
DVD
Blue-Ray disc

Question 17

suggest an advantage of storing data on an optical disc

Answer 17

options:
portable
cheap
waterproof

Question 18

give one example of utility software and describe what it does

Answer 18

options:
backup utilities - create copies of a computers files
virus scanners - searches for viruses
compression software - reduces the size of files
encryption - scrambles data
defragmentation software - improves read/write speeds

Question 19

what happens during the fetch stage of the fetch-decode-execute cycle?

Answer 19

the control unit moves the instruction from memeory to the registers

Question 20

Claire currently stores important business files on her computer’s internal hard drive. Suggest a reason why she should back up her files to an external hard drive.

Answer 20

if she has a problem with her computer and loses all of the files on the internal hard drive, she can recover the, all from the backup

Question 21

Milham school is planning to install a new computer network. The network will be run by an operating system with a graphical user interface (GUI).
What is a ‘graphical user interface’?

Answer 21

a visual interface that uses windows, icons, menus and pointers

Question 22

Milham school is planning to install a new computer network. The network will be run by an operating system with a graphical user interface (GUI).

Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using an operating system with a graphical user interface instead of a command line interface.

Answer 22

advantage: easier for most users to use
disadvantage: advanced users might prefer to use a command line interface as it could be more powerfull

Question 23

give one advantage of using an operating system with a graphical user interface instead of a command line interface

Answer 23

it will be easier for most users to use graphical user interface

Question 24

give one disadvantage of using an operating system with a graphical user interface instead of a command line interface

Answer 24

advanced users might prefer to use a command line interface as it could be more powerful

Question 25

list 7 hardware components that are commonly found inside a desktop computer

Answer 25

power supply,
slots for RAM,
cooling fans,
CPU,
optical drive,
HDD,
motherboard

Question 26

what is a computer?

Answer 26

a digital electronic machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations automatically

Question 27

suggest an input device that lets you input text

Answer 27

a keyboard

Question 28

suggest an input device that lets you input images

Answer 28

a photocopier

Question 29

suggest an input device that lets you input sound

Answer 29

a microphone

Question 30

what’s the differnce between a scanner and a photocopier?

Answer 30

a photocopier prints the digital image onto one or more blank sheets of paper, a scanner, it stores a digital copy of the image and transmits it to a computer