Hardware

Question 1

What is a computer?

Answer 1

A programmable machine that follows a set of instructions.

Question 2

What is a computer system?

Answer 2

A collection of parts that work together and are controlled by the computer.

Question 3

What is a PDA? What does it do?

Answer 3

Personal Digital Assistant. Browse internet, send & receive emails and display different types of media.

Question 4

What is WAP? What is it?

Answer 4

Wireless Application Protocol. Set of standards that govern how they access the internet.

Question 5

What is the most commonly used PC system?

Answer 5

Mobile Phones

Question 6

Examples of embedded computer systems? (3)

Answer 6

Watch, calculator, mobile phone, music player, TV & microwave ovens.

Question 7

What are embedded computer systems designed to do?

How much data do they need/process?

Answer 7

Carry out 1 or 2 specific tasks.

A small amount of data.

Question 8

What are supercomputers and mainframes used for?

How much data do they process?

Answer 8

Fast & advanced calculations

A lot of data

Question 9

What is hardware?

Answer 9

Physical components of the computer system

Question 10

Examples of peripheral devices?

Answer 10

Mouse & keyboard

Question 11

What is at the heart of any computer?

Answer 11

The CPU (Central Processing Unit)

Question 12

What is the CPU?

Answer 12

Collection of electronic circuits that control the computer,.

Question 13

What are all electronic components attached to?

Answer 13

The motherboard

Question 14

What determines the amount and speed of application that can be made use of by the computer?

Answer 14

Memory

Question 15

What is ROM?

Answer 15

Read Only Memory

Non-volatile. Basic instructions for computer.

Question 16

What is RAM?

Answer 16

Random Access Memory

Volatile. Makes computer quicker.

Question 17

What type of data do computers use?

Answer 17

Digital Data (in 1’s and 0’s)

Question 18

What is a bit?

Answer 18

Binary Digit

Question 19

How many bits in a byte?

Answer 19

8 bits

Question 20

How many bytes is 1 kilobyte?

Answer 20

1024 bytes

Question 21

How many kilobytes is 1 megabyte?

Answer 21

1024 kilobytes

Question 22

How many megabytes is 1 gigabyte?

Answer 22

1024 megabytes

Question 23

How many gigabytes is 1 terabyte?

Answer 23

1024 gigabytes

Question 24

Put the bytes in order:
1 bit
1 terabyte
1 kilobyte
1 gigabyte
1 megabyte
1 byte

Answer 24

1 bit
1 byte
1 kilobyte
1 megabyte
1 gigabyte
1 terabyte

Question 25

What is a mouse for?

Answer 25

Moving a pointer around a screen & selecting options by clicking on icons.

Question 26

What is a keyboard for?

Answer 26

Enables user to enter characters e.g. typing a letter

Question 27

What is a scanner for?

Answer 27

Digitizes image or other items from hard copy form (paper)

Question 28

What are webcams & microphones for?

Answer 28

To chat to people & take part in video conferencing.

Question 29

What are joysticks for?

Answer 29

For gamers to control on-screen objects during play.

Question 30

What are touchscreens for?

Answer 30

Data input in shopping centers and railway stations.

Question 31

What is a Barcode Reader used for?

Answer 31

Supermarket checkouts to read barcodes on items & information, such as price, is received from the shop's database.

Question 32

What is an OMR? What is it used for?

Answer 32

Optical Mark Reader | Multiple choice answer sheets in exams. Reads the answers.

Question 33

What is an OCR? What is it used for?

Answer 33

Optical Character Recognition Read humanly recognisable letters. Used by utility companies to produce editable documents from hard copies. Also used by speed cameras to read registrations of speeding vehicles.

Question 34

What is an MICR? What is it used for?

Answer 34

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. | When accuracy is critical. - banking for printing account numbers and sorting codes on the bottom of cheques.

Question 35

What are 2 input devices for disabled people?

Answer 35

Tracker Balls | Puff Suck Switch

Question 36

What are 3 things that sensors can detect?

Answer 36

Temperature, light & pH

Question 37

What form do sensors collect information in?

Answer 37

Analog form

Question 38

What do data loggers do?

Answer 38

Convert analog data (sensors) to digital signals and also store readings.