hardware

Question 1

Central processing unit

Answer 1

The part of the computer that consists of three associate elements: the arithmetic/logic unit, the control unit, and the register areas

Question 2

Read-Only Memory (ROM)

Answer 2

A non volatile form of memory and contains programs used by the microcomputer to control its operations. The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is stored here.

Question 3

Random-Access Memory (RAM)

Answer 3

Volatile, and sometimes referred to as “computer memory”, it is the primary storage

Question 4

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

Answer 4

A specialized processor that offloads the tasks associated with 3D graphics rendering from the CPU.

Question 5

Expansion Slot

Answer 5

A connector on the motherboard into which additional hardware components can be fit.

Question 6

Microprocessor

Answer 6

Processes and transfers data to other parts of the microcomputer

Question 7

Bit

Answer 7

A binary digit that when combined with other binary digits represent letters, numbers and symbols

Question 8

Parallel computing

Answer 8

The simultaneous execution of the same task on many processors to obtain results faster.

Question 9

Massively parallel processing systems

Answer 9

A form of multiprocessing that speeds processing by linking hundreds or thousands of computers .

Question 10

Grid computing

Answer 10

The use of a collection of computers, often owned by several individuals or organizations, to work in a coordinated manner to solve a common problem

Question 11

Secondary storage

Answer 11

Non volatile information storage

Question 12

Fixed storage

Answer 12

Permanent secondary storage that cannot be removed from the microcomputer

Question 13

Removable storage

Answer 13

Permanent secondary storage that can be removed from the microcomputer

Question 14

CD-ROM

Answer 14

A form of optical disk on which data, once it has been recorded, generally cannot be modified unless it has rewritable features as well.

Question 15

Fault tolerant system

Answer 15

A system designed to continue to operate even if the hard disk fails

Question 16

Redundant arrays of inexpensive disks (RAID)

Answer 16

A common form of fault-tolerant storage systems

Question 17

Disk mirroring

Answer 17

A fault tolerant system that uses two disk drives and one disk controller

Question 18

Disk duplexing

Answer 18

A fault tolerant system that uses two disk controllers and two disk drives

Question 19

Stripe sets with parity

Answer 19

A fault tolerant system that spreads the data and parity information across several disk drives in such away that no single drive failure will render the data unavailable

Question 20

Storage area network (SAN)

Answer 20

Uses computer servers, distributed storage devices, and networks to tie everything together

Question 21

Hard disk

Answer 21

Consisting of several platters of disk surface, each platter is organized into tracks and the platters are stacked on top of each other. It is the most common form of permanent, secondary storage

Question 22

Flash drives

Answer 22

Rewritable solid state storage devices.

Question 23

Optical disk

Answer 23

Rigid disk of plastic onto which data is recorded by special lasers that physically burn pits in the disk

Question 24

CD-R

Answer 24

A form of optical disk that can be recorded on but can not be rewritten to.

Question 25

CD-RW

Answer 25

A form of optical disk that can be written to more than once.

Question 26

Virtual tape

Answer 26

A storage device for less frequently needed data so that it appears to be stored entirely on tape cartridges, although some parts of it might actually be stored on faster hard disks.

Question 27

DVD

Answer 27

Developed to replace CD-ROM, it looks similar but has faster access and has many GB of storage, more than 26 times that of CDs.

Question 28

Cache memory

Answer 28

a type of high-speed memory that a processor can access more rapidly than main memory

Question 29

Multiprocessing

Answer 29

Simultaneous execution of two or more instructions at the same time

Question 30

Co-processor

Answer 30

Part of the computer that speeds processing by executing specific types of instructions while the CPU works on another processing activity

Question 31

Parallel processing

Answer 31

form of multiprocessing that speeds processing by linking several processors to operate at the same time

Question 32

Terabyte

Answer 32

Term for approximately one trillion bytes of storage

Question 33

Primary storage

Answer 33

Random access memory (RAM) it is volatile memory sometimes also referred to as "computer memory"

Question 34

Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM)

Answer 34

Similar to ROM but has no initial program instructions -- it becomes permanent once entered by the purchaser (manufacturer)

Question 35

Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM)

Answer 35

Programmable memory that can be erased and reprogrammed -- used in robots and other devices where program may have to be changed

Question 36

Computer system architecture

Answer 36

The structure, or configuration, of the hardware components of a computer system

Question 37

Multimedia computing

Answer 37

Uses software to integrate text, graphics, sound, and video images on the same microcomputer

Question 38

Network-attached storage (NAS)

Answer 38

Hard disk storage that is set up with its own network address rather than being attached to a computer.

Question 39

Moore's Law

Answer 39

A hypothesis that states that transister densities on a single chip will double every 18 months.

Question 40

Memory cards

Answer 40

Portable, easy to use cards that fit into slots in PCs and are less failure prone than hard drives.

Question 41

Green computing

Answer 41

Green computing

Question 42

Remote storage

Answer 42

Storing or retrieval of backed up data using the Internet connection. An inexpensive storage option as companies only pay for the amount of storage used.

Question 43

Solid state drive (SSD)

Answer 43

Solid state drives contain no moving parts and faster boot times that are also available as options for many note book computer vendors.

Question 44

Multicore microprocessors

Answer 44

Uses dual core processors and shared cache to improve processing speed