F451 Define

Question 1

Define what is meant by a secondary storage device

Answer 1

A peripheral unit that allows storage of data over a long period of time. Example would be a hard drive used to store data, files, operating system, applications.

Question 2

Define the term storage device.

Answer 2

A peripheral device outside the computer, which is additional to primary memory. It allows storage of data over a long period of time.

Question 3

Define what is meant by a protocol.

Answer 3

A set of rules that govern the communication between devices.

Question 4

Define the term hardware.

Answer 4

Physical parts of a computer. E.g. keyboard

Question 5

Define the term software.

Answer 5

Instructions/programs that make the hardware work E.g. operating system

Question 6

Define the term applications software.

Answer 6

Programs that make the hardware perform a useful task E.g. Word processing software

Question 7

Define what is meant by packet switching.

Answer 7

A method of transmitting data over the network from one device to another. Data is broken into packets, taking the most convenient route and later reassembled and re-ordered.

Question 8

Define what is meant by circuit switching.

Answer 8

A method of transmitting data over the network from one device to another. Data is broken into packets, and one established route is taken. By travel in order, one by one and reassemble.

Question 9

Define what is meant by the bit rate of data transmission.

Answer 9

The rate at which data is transferred (NOT speed). It’s measured in bits per second.

Question 10

Define what is meant by an input device.

Answer 10

Allows data to be given to the computer.

Question 11

Define what is meant by an output device.

Answer 11

Reports the results of processing from the computer to the user

Question 12

Define what is meant by a buffer.

Answer 12

A small area of computer memory / temporary storage / holds data.

Question 13

Define what is meant by a interrupt.

Answer 13

A signal or message sent to the processor/It stops the current activity of the processor.

Question 14

Define what is meant by a LAN.

Answer 14

Local area network. Computers linked together over a small area. Shared devices.
May be hard-wired or wireless.

Question 15

Define what a handshake is.

Answer 15

The exchange of signals between devices to signify that they are ready for communication.

Question 16

Define what a logical protocol is.

Answer 16

The rules which the data has to follow. E.g. baud rate.

Question 17

Define what a physical protocol is.

Answer 17

The rules that are used to govern the methods used to set up the communication.

Question 18

Define what is meant by an actuator.

Answer 18

Device which can be operated by a computer to produce physical movements.

Question 19

Define what is meant by ROM.

Answer 19

Non-volatile memory which stores data that can’t be changed – it holds the bootstrap program

Question 20

Define what is meant by RAM.

Answer 20

Volatile memory that holds data files and programs currently in use which can be changed.

Question 21

Define what is meant by serial data transmission.

Answer 21

Individual data bits sent one after another along one wire

Question 22

Define what is meant by parallel data transmission.

Answer 22

Groups of bits sent simultaneously along many wires

Question 23

Define what is meant by the character set of a computer.

Answer 23

The symbols that may be understood by a computer. E.g. symbols on a keyboard(digits, letters)

Question 24

Define what is meant by existence check.

Answer 24

Checks that the record exists by checking against a list of possible records

Question 25

Define what is meant by presence check.

Answer 25

Checks to ensure that a value has been entered

Question 26

Define what is meant by a waterfall model.

Answer 26

Passing through the System Life Cycle stage by stage in order. Each stage feeds information to the next stage

Question 27

Define what is meant by utility software.

Answer 27

Housekeeping programs

Question 28

Define what is meant by custom-written software.

Answer 28

A ‘one-off’ problem. There will be no solution available to use ‘off-the-shelf’

Question 29

Define what is meant by simplex data transmission.

Answer 29

Communication is only ever in one direction

Question 30

Define what is meant by duplex data transmission.

Answer 30

Communication can be in both directions simultaneously

Question 31

Define what is meant by half duplex data transmission.

Answer 31

Communication can be in both directions but only one at a time

Question 32

Define what is meant by backing up.

Answer 32

Backup is making a copy of files so that if the file is corrupted there is a copy to

Question 33

Define what is meant by archiving.

Answer 33

Archive is the file being removed from regular use. It can be used to free up space on the main storage

Question 34

Define what is meant by a batch operating system.

Answer 34

In a batch operating system the data is collected first/then processed

Question 35

Define what is meant by a real-time operating system.

Answer 35

In a real time operating system the data is processed immediately.

Question 36

Define what is meant by UNICODE.

Answer 36

UNICODE is a system that gives a unique code to all the possible symbols available throughout the world