Section 2.4 vocab

Question 1

The part of a sound wave that is captured, measured, and assigned a numeric value during digital sound recording.

Answer 1

Sample

Question 2

The amount of memory used to store the numeric value of a sound sample during digital sound recording. 8-bit sound uses eight bits (or one byte) to store the value of each sample. 16-bit sound uses two bytes per sample. Generally speaking, the better the bit depth, the better the sound.

Answer 2

Bit depth

Question 3

The number of individual samples taken each second during digital sound recording. Measured in Hertz, the higher the sampling rate, the better the recording. Most modern sound recordings are made at 44.1 kHz.

Answer 3

Sampling rate

Question 4

The number of images, or frames, that are taken each second during digital video recording. Most digital videos have a frame rate of about 30 frames per second.

Answer 4

Frame rate

Question 5

The number of pixels in the width and height of each frame in a digital video recording. The higher the resolution, the clearer the image will be.

Answer 5

Resolution

Question 6

The amount of memory the computer uses to display colors in a digital image or a digital video. 8-bit color images use one byte of data for each pixel. 24-bit color uses three bytes for each pixel.

Answer 6

Color depth

Question 7

A display on a computer monitor is made up of sets of tiny red, green, and blue (RGB) lights, each set combining to make a pixel. A pixel will display different colors depending on the brightness of each light.

Answer 7

RGB Display

Question 8

Images are stored by dividing a picture into rows of pixels and collecting the color values of each pixel, in order, row-by-row.

Answer 8

Raster images

Question 9

Images are stored by mathematically describing the shapes in the image. A circle might be stored as a center point and the distance from the center point to the circle’s edge. A square is stored as four lines, each with a beginning point and a length. More complex shapes can be stored as a set of small lines.

Answer 9

Vector images

Question 10

A way of reducing the size of files, making them easier to store.

Answer 10

File compression

Question 11

A compression algorithm, such as GIF, PNG, PDF, and ZIP, doesn’t affect the original data. A file compressed using a lossless compression algorithm, when decompressed, will be exactly the same as the file before compression, bit for bit.

Answer 11

Lossless Compression

Question 12

A compression algorithm, such as JPG, MP3, and MP4, slightly alters the data to make it easier to store, taking advantage of the limitations of human sight and hearing, and is usually used for images, videos, and audio files.

Answer 12

Lossy Compression

Question 13

A common lossless compression algorithm that looks for repeated patterns of bits or bytes and records the pattern and then the number of times the pattern is repeated.

Answer 13

Run-Length Encoding

Question 14

A patch of pixels in a compressed image or video that have less visible detail than the rest of the image

Answer 14

Compression Artifact

Question 15

Kilobits of audio data are processed each second.

Answer 15

Bitrate

Question 16

Pieces of software that either compress or decompress digital media.

Answer 16

Video Codecs

Question 17

The first step in designing a 3D model which provides the outline of the model, including only the vertices and lines without including any surfaces, textures, or lighting.

Answer 17

Wireframes

Question 18

The second step in designing a 3D model which converts the models into 2D images on a computer.

Answer 18

Rendering

Question 19

An advanced rendering method that is used to create incredibly realistic lighting effects for things like video games and movies.

Answer 19

Ray Tracing