Topic 1: Hardware and Communication

Question 1

What is architecture referred to as in CS?

Answer 1

It refers to the components that exists within a computer and how they are interconnected.

Question 2

What is one architecture?

Answer 2

Von Neumann architectures

Question 3

Give 3 components which is below the CPU.

Answer 3

1. Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
2. Register
3. Control Unit

Question 4

Give 4 examples of input.

Answer 4

1. Mouse
2. Keyboards
3. Microphones
4. Digital cameras

Question 5

What is input?

Answer 5

It is any device that introduces data into a computer system from outside it.

Question 6

Give 3 examples of output devices.

Answer 6

1. Printers
2. Visual displays
3. Speakers

Question 7

What is an output?

Answer 7

They communicate data beyond the computer system, typically (but not always) to a human user.

Question 8

Give the function of memory.

Answer 8

Both instructions and data are stored in memory, to be conducted to the CPU as and when they are required.

Question 9

Give the abbreviation of CPU.

Answer 9

Central Processing Unit

Question 10

Give the function of a CPU.

Answer 10

It comprises one or more arithmetic logic unit, one or more control unit and any number of registers.

Question 11

Give the function of ALU.

Answer 11

It performs calculations (e.g. 5 + 2), comparisons (e.g. 5 > 2) and logical operations (e.g. AND, NOT, OR) as instructed by the control unit.

Question 12

Give the function of a register.

Answer 12

It is a temporary holding area for a small amount of data.

Question 13

Give 3 types of registers.

Answer 13

1. Some registers have a special purpose
2. Others have a general purpose
3. Key special-purpose registers

Question 14

What are registers with a special purpose?

Answer 14

They have a clearly defined role such as knowing the memory location of the next instruction.

Question 15

What are registers with a general purpose?

Answer 15

Their roles are more flexible and can be specified by the programmer.

Question 16

What does → indicate?

Answer 16

Buses

Question 17

Give the purpose of buses.

Answer 17

They transfer data between components in the directions indicated.

Question 18

What do data buses carry?

Answer 18

1. Data
2. Instructions

Question 19

What do address buses carry?

Answer 19

Memory locations to be accessed.

Question 20

What do control buses carry?

Answer 20

Commands to be carried out by the hardware, such as ‘read’ or ‘write’.

Question 21

What is a memory in CS?

Answer 21

It refers to any storage utilised by a computer system.

Question 22

Give 4 primary types of memory.

Answer 22

1. RAM (Random Access Memory)
2. ROM(Read Only Memory)
3. Memory cache
4. Disk cache

Question 23

Give another name for RAM.

Answer 23

Main memory

Question 24

Give the function of RAM.

Answer 24

It is the component of a computer that stores programs that are currently being executed or data that will be needed for immediate use.

Question 25

Describe RAM.

Answer 25

It is volatile, and contents are lost if the computer loses power.

Question 26

What does 'read-only' mean?

Answer 26

Their contents cannot be changed or deleted.

Question 27

Why is ROM considered non-volatile?

Answer 27

It is because the contents of ROM are safe when a computer loses power.

Question 28

What is ROM used for?

Answer 28

To store the bootstrap program, which is needed to start up the computer, as well as any system data that does not change.

Question 29

Give another name for memory cache.

Answer 29

CPU cache

Question 30

Describe memory cache.

Answer 30

It is a type of high-speed, smaller-capacity RAM variant, close to the CPU, intended to store commonly used data and instructions.

Question 31

How can data and instructions be accessed quicker?

Answer 31

It can be accessed quicker when stored in conventional RAM.

Question 32

What is a disk cache?

Answer 32

It is a specifically designated part of RAM, intended to contain data and instructions from secondary storage likely to be needed either repeatedly or simply next, after the current instruction.

Question 33

What does a disk cache help with?

Answer 33

Speeds up retrieval of data and instructions.

Question 34

Give 3 examples of secondary storage.

Answer 34

1. Magnetic- internal and external hard disk drives (HDDs) 2. Sold-state drives (SSDs) and USB flash drives (pen drives) 3. Optical (CD/ DVD' Blue-Ray) drives

Question 35

What is secondary storage referred to as?

Answer 35

It refers to any device that can store data, in addition to main memory.

Question 36

Describe secondary storage devices.

Answer 36

They are non-volatile and are typically high capacity, portable or both.

Question 37

Give 4 factors which affect the choice of a secondary storage device.

Answer 37

1. Speed 2. Cost per storage unit 3. Durability 4. Portability

Question 38

What does it mean by 'speed'?

Answer 38

How fast can data be accessed.

Question 39

What does it mean by 'cost per storage unit'?

Answer 39

How much does it cost per gigabyte or megabyte.

Question 40

What does it mean by 'durability'?

Answer 40

Toughness

Question 41

What does it mean by portability?

Answer 41

How easy it is to move from one computer to another.