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Computer Science Cards Rewrite > Hardware > Flashcards

Hardware Flashcards

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1
Q

What are input devices

A

Anything used to input into a computer

E.g. keyboard, mouse etc.

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2
Q

What is a processor (CPU)

A

The brain of the computer

Controls the transmission of data to and from main memory.

Processes the data in main memory

Controls the transfer of data between input, output and memory

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3
Q

What are output devices

A

Anything the user can see or hears will be done by an output device

E.g. a speaker, monitor etc.

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4
Q

What is RAM cache memory

A

A fast type of memory which sits on the processor

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5
Q

What is external backing store

A

A large storage device used to hold data when the computer is offline

E.g. hard disk

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6
Q

What is RAM

A

Random Access Memory

Used to store anything running on the computer at the current moment

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7
Q

What is ROM

A

Read Only Memory

Used to store small amounts of information used to boot up

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8
Q

Is RAM Volatile or Non-Volatile

A

RAM is Volatile (data is lost when power is removed)

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9
Q

What does RAM memory hold

A

Like all memory RAM can hold program instructions (e.g. a game) and data (e.g. a score in a game)

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10
Q

What happens to programs to be executed

A

They are first loaded from backing store (e.g. Hard disk) into RAM before being run

This is because RAM is much faster

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11
Q

Is ROM volatile or Non-Volatile

A

ROM is Non-Volatile (data remains when power is turned off)

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12
Q

How does a computer boot up?

A

ROM holds a simple operating system (BIOS) ‘burnt’ onto the chip at the time of manufacture

The BIOS runs a ‘bootstrap loader’ that looks for another operating system (e.g. Windows, Linux) to load into RAM from backing store

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13
Q

Name the different components of the CPU

A

Control unit

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

registers

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14
Q

Name all the special registers in the CPU

A

MAR (Memory Address Register)

MDR (Memory Data Register)

PC (program counter)

CIR (Current Instruction Register)

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15
Q

What is the instruction set

A

The commands available to the CPU

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16
Q

What is a Control Unit

A

A control unit fetches each instruction in sequence from memory, decodes and synchronises it before executing it by sending control signals to other parts of the computer

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17
Q

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

A

Carries out the processing and manipulation of data

Consists of arithmetic operations Or logical comparisons

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18
Q

What are registers

A

Temporary memory locations within the CPU

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19
Q

What does the MAR (Memory Address Register) do

A

Holds the address of the memory location currently being accessed

In the fde cycle it holds the address in main memory that is currently being read or written

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20
Q

What does the MDR (Memory Data Register) do

A

Holds data read from (or to be written to) memory

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21
Q

What does the CIR (Current Instruction Register) do

A

Stores the instruction most recently fetched from memory

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22
Q

What are buses

A

Collections of wires inside the CPU

They transmit information between the components and also to input/output devices

There are 3 different bus types

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23
Q

What is an Address bus

A

This is used to specify the address in memory where data will be read from or written to

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24
Q

What is a Data bus

A

Used to transfer data from memory into the CPU

Or from CPU back to memory

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25
Q

What is a control bus

A

Used to send control signals between parts of the computer

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26
Q

What does RAM cache memory attempt to solve?

A

It attempts to solve the von neumann bottleneck

This is where the processor runs much faster than the memory by acting as a middleman between main memory and the registers.

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27
Q

What are the properties of cache memory

A

Cache is small, extremely fast memory

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28
Q

Where is cache memory located

A

On or near the processor

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29
Q

What happens to data and instructions in cache memory

A

Data and instructions that are used regularly are stored in cache and retrieved by the processor when necessary

When the cache is full least recently used data is discarded

30
Q

What is disk cache

A

Works similar to RAM cache as it keeps blocks of data in RAM so that recently accessed blocks can be read more quickly again from RAM rather than having to read from the slower hard disk

31
Q

Name a problem with the von neumann architecture

A

The program instructions and data are accessed via the same data and address buses

Meaning that unstructured being fetched and data being accessed compete for the same resources

32
Q

What is parallel processing

A

The use of more than one processor or processor core to perform a single task.

33
Q

What is an advantage of parallel processing

A

It is useful where large/complex calculations are being carried out

E.g. image processing, weather forecasting

34
Q

What is assembly language

A

A very low level language

Very close to machine code

Commands are very simple

35
Q

Explain the fetch decode execute cycle

A
  1. The value in the PC is incremented by one
  2. The address value is then stored in the MAR
  3. The address is then sent from the MAR along the address bus to the main memory RAM
  4. The instruction at thst address is found and returned along the data bus to the MDR
  5. At the same time the PC increments by one
  6. The control unit then loads the CIR from the MDR with the instruction to be executed
  7. The instruction is then decoded and executed
36
Q

What is speech recognition

A

Providing input into the computer via your voice

37
Q

What is speech synthesis

A

The computer is outputting speech

38
Q

What is handwriting recognition

A

When you write on a tablet and the computer will read what is being written

39
Q

What are the advantages of speech recognition

A
  • no need to type
  • faster input
  • very useful for some disabled people
  • useful when hands are occupied
40
Q

What are the disadvantages of speech recognition

A

Background noise can cause problems

Accents - may have to “learn”

May not recognise slang words

Colds, speech impediments etc.

41
Q

What are the three types of speech recognition

A

Speech dictation

Command and control

Voice recognition

42
Q

What does speech dictation do

A

Records every word

43
Q

What does speech command and control do

A

Use your voice for commands to do certain things

44
Q

What does voice recognition do

A

Measures the unique biological factors of your voice

Can then be used for authentication

45
Q

What are the advantages of speech synthesis

A

Computer able to read documents/emails/ebooks

Useful for the partially sighted

Used to help people pronounce words

No need to look at screen, tells information when eyes are occupied (e.g. satnav)

45
Q

What are the advantages of speech synthesis

A

Computer able to read documents/emails/ebooks

Useful for the partially sighted

Used to help people pronounce words

No need to look at screen, tells information when eyes are occupied (e.g. satnav)

46
Q

What are the disadvantages of speech synthesis

A

Often quicker to read it yourself

Voice often sounds unnatural

47
Q

What are the advantages of handwriting recognition

A

Many people can write faster than they can type

No need to learn a new skill to type

Useful when there is limited space

48
Q

What are the disadvantages of handwriting recognition

A

Not always 100% accurate

Some handwriting is very difficult to interpret

Using the pen interface can feel unnatural

49
Q

Name interfaces that can be used for people with disabilities

A

Speech recognition

Foot controlled keyboard/mouse

Oversized keyboard

Head/eye movement detector

Large/clear fonts

50
Q

How is assembly language converted to machine code

A

Using an assembler

51
Q

What is mechanical storage

A

Any storage that has moving parts involved e.g. HDD, CD-ROM

52
Q

What are the disadvantages of Hard Disks

A

More likely to be damaged if dropped due to moving part

Will sometimes require defragmentation

53
Q

What is an advantage of Hard Disks

A

They generally have a long life span

54
Q

What are solid state drives

A

Direct replacements for hard drives

Has no moving parts

55
Q

Disadvantages of SSD

A

Tend to be less reliable over time

Direct replacement for hard-drives

Use more expensive flash memory

56
Q

Advantages of solid state drives

A

Made up of NAND flash which is shock resistant

No moving parts so tends to be more power efficient

Tend to be lighter, quieter and run cooler than traditional hard drives

57
Q

What is a bit

A

A bit is a binary digit (0 or 1)

58
Q

What is a byte

A

A byte is 8 bits

59
Q

How big is a kilobyte (Kb)

A

1024 bytes

60
Q

How big is a megabyte (Mb)

A

1024 Kb

61
Q

How big is a gigabyte (Gb)

A

1024 Mb

62
Q

How big is a terabyte (Tb)

A

1024Gb

63
Q

What is word size

A

The number of bits that the processor can deal with in a single operation.

E.g. a 64 bit pc has a word size of 64 bits (8 bytes)

64
Q

What is fragmentation

A

When a file system cannot or will not allocate enough contiguous space to store a complete file as a unit, but instead puts parts of it in gaps between existing files

65
Q

Why is it slower to open a fragmented file

A

The read/write head on the disk drive has to move to lowd each part from a different track and mechanical movement slows the operation down.

66
Q

Why do the gaps between files exist?

A

Because they formally held a file that the operating system has subsequently deleted

67
Q

What is data defragmentation

A

When necessary an operating system will run a defragmentation routine

Moves the blocks around to make sure that the files take up a contiguous set of blocks

68
Q

Why do SSD’s not require defragmentation

A

There are no mechanical read/write heads to move and therefore fragmentation does not slow down operation

69
Q

Characteristics of CPU

A

Expensive

Stored on or next to CPU

Computer Science Cards Rewrite (18 decks)

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