Exam 1 Flashcards
Hardware
Refers to the physical components of the computer such as the mother board, central processing unit (CPU), memory (RAM), hard disk drive (HDD) and other components.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The «brain» of the computer responsible for executing instruction and carrying out tasks.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Temporary memory used to store data and programs that the computer is currently using.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
Permanent storage device used to store data, programs and other information.
Motherboard
The main circuit board that connects all the components of the computer.
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
Provides power to the computer components.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
Specialized hardware for processing graphics and visual information.
Input devices
Devices used to input into the computer such as keyboard, mouse, microphone etc….
Output devices
Devices used to display or print data generated by the computer such as monitor, printer etc….
Peripheral devices
External devices that expand the capabilities of your computer such as scanner, external hard rives, flash drives, etc….
Expansion cards
Circuit boards that add additional functionality to our computer such as sound cards or network cards.
Optical drives
Devices used to read and write data on CDs, DVDs and blue-ray discs.
Ports
Connections used to connect peripheral devices to the computer such as USB, HDMI, Ethernet etc…
Cables
Connections used to connects components within the computer such as power cables, data cables etc….
Cooling system
Components used to regulate temperature and prevent overheating such as fans and heatsinks.
Case
Physical housing for the computer components
Computer software
Refers to the programs and instructions that run on a computer to perform specific tasks. There are four main types of software:
-System software
-Application software
-Utility software
-Games and entertainment software
System software
Foundation of a computer system and manages and controls the basic function of the computer.
Operating systems
Most important piece of system software and manages the resources of the computer.
Device drivers
Allow hardware components to communicate with the operating system
Application software
Is designed to perform specific tasks for the user.
-Word processors
-Spreadsheet processors
-Graphic design software
-database management software
Word processors
Used for editing, formatting and creating text documents.
Spreadsheet programs
Used for organizing and analyzing data in a tabular form.
Graphic design software
Used for creating and editing images and graphics.
