flashcards
What are the two main elements of a computer system?
Hardware and software.
What is hardware in a computer system?
The visible, physical elements of the computer, such as the CPU, memory, storage devices, input devices, output devices, and communication devices.
What is the role of software in a computer system?
Software provides invisible instructions to control hardware and perform specific tasks.
What is the CPU, and why is it important?
The CPU, or Central Processing Unit, is the brain of the computer. It retrieves and executes instructions from memory. CPU speed is measured in megahertz (MHz).
What is computer memory used for?
Memory stores data and program instructions for the CPU to execute.
What is the main difference between memory and storage devices?
Memory is volatile and loses information when power is off, while storage devices store data permanently.
Give examples of storage devices.
Disk drives (hard disks and floppy disks) and USB flash memory.
What are input devices, and provide examples?
Devices used to input data into a computer system, such as keyboards, mouse, scanners, and digital cameras.
What are output devices, and provide examples?
Devices used to display results from a computer, such as printers, speakers, and monitors.
What is a system program (operating system)?
A program that manages and controls a computer’s activities, such as memory management and input/output activities.
Name some examples of application programs.
Word processors, spreadsheets, and games.
What is machine language?
A set of primitive instructions built into every computer in binary code, making it hard to read and modify.
What are assembly languages, and how do they differ from machine languages?
Assembly languages make programming easier by using human-readable instructions. An assembler translates them into machine code.
What are high-level programming languages?
English-like languages that are easier to learn and program, such as Java, Python, and C++.
What is source code in programming?
A program written in a high-level language that must be translated into machine code for execution using a compiler.
