Computer Concepts module 2 Questions and Answers

Computer - Answer- multipurpose device that accepts input, processes data, stores data, and produces output, all according to a series of stored instructions Input - Answer- whatever is typed, submitted, or transmitted to a computer Output - Answer- the result produced by a computer How do computers process data? - Answer- by performing calculations, modifying documents and pictures, drawing graphs, and sorting lists of words or numbers Processing is handled by the computers_________ - Answer- central processing unit (CPU) Computer program - Answer- The intersections that tell a Digital device how to carry out processing tasks Software - Answer- sets up a computer to do a specific task Stored program - Answer- a series of instructions for computing a task can be loaded into a computers memory What distinguishes computers from other simpler and less virile digital devices such as clocks calculators and cameras? - Answer- the stored program concept allows you to do multiple computing tasks Computers run through 3 main types of software - Answer- cation software 2. system software opment tools Application software - Answer- set of computer programs that helps a person carry out a task What is the primary purpose of system software? - Answer- to help the computer system monitor itself in order to function efficiently What is an example of a system software? - Answer- computer operating system or OS Development tools - Answer- used for creating software applications, web sites, operating systems and utilities The small circuit boards and integrated circuits you see when you open up a digital device are the essence of - Answer- digital electronics Digital electronics - Answer- represent data bits as electrical signals that travel over circuits in much the same way that electricity flows over a wire when you turn on a light switch Integrated circuit (IC) - Answer- a set of microscopic electronic circuits etched onto a thin slide of semiconducting material What terms are commonly used to refer to integrated circuits - Answer- computer chip, microchip and chip Semiconductors - Answer- substances with properties between those of a conductor (copper) and an insulator (wood) Examples of semiconductors - Answer- silicon and germanium What is an LGA - Answer- a square chip package, typically used for microprocessors with pins arranged in concentric squares The electronic components of most digital devices are mounted on a circuit board called ____,_____ or______ - Answer- system board, motherboard or main board system board - Answer- houses all essential chips and provides connecting circuitry between them Form factor - Answer- refers to the size and dimensions of a device or components, such as circuit boards and system units System unit - Answer- tech speak for the part of a digital device that holds the system board Examples of popular form factors - Answer- component, clamshell and slate What are 4 components of digital devices that require maintenance - Answer- system unit, keyboard, screen and battery Many touch screens are made from_____ - Answer- gorilla glass Oleophobic coating - Answer- designed to repel oils from fingertips Most of today's battery-powered digital devices contain a ______ battery - Answer- lithium ion (Li-ion battery Types of big computers are _____,______ and ______ - Answer- supercomputers, mainframes and servers Supercomputers - Answer- considered the fastest computers in the world at the time of construction; can tackle complex tasks other computers cannot; typical use includes breaking codes, modeling weather systems, and simulating nuclear explosions Mainframes - Answer- a large and expensive computer capable of simultaneously processing data for hundreds or thousands of users; looks like a closet-sized cabinet; used to provide centralized storage, processing, and management for large amounts of data Servers - Answer- : "serves" data to computers in a network; Google search results are provided by servers; about the size of a desk draw and mounted in racks of multiple servers Personal computers can be classified as - Answer- desktops, portables,laptops,tablets and smartphones Desktops - Answer- fit on a desk and run on power from a wall outlet; keyboard is typically separate from the monitor; popular in offices and schools Portable - Answer- run on battery power; their components are contained in a single case for easy transportation Laptops - Answer- also referred to as a notebook computer; small and lightweight with a clamshell design and keyboard at the base Tablet computer - Answer- is a portable computing device featuring a touch-sensitive screen used for input and output; uses a specialized OS Slate tablet - Answer- configuration has a narrow frame screen that lacks a physical keyboard; Apple iPad is a slate tablet Smartphone - Answer- mobile devices with features similar to a tablet computer; provide telecommunications capabilities over cell phone networks What do niche devices have in common? - Answer- they contain a microprocessor Raspberry Pi - Answer- Just a tad larger than a deck of cards; the Raspberry Pi can be connected to a keyboard and screen for a full computer experience Portable media player - Answer- are handheld devices that can store and play music; iPod touch is a portable media player Smart appliances - Answer- modern refrigerators, washing machines, and other appliances are controlled by integrated circuits called microcontrollers that combine sensors with processing circuitry The most popular digital devices are..... - Answer- desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones What does it mean to be compatible? - Answer- computers that operate essentially the same way and use the same software "same platform" How can you assess whether two computers are compatible? - Answer- by checking their operating systems Prices for digital devices depend on _____,____ and _____ - Answer- screen size, microprocessor size and memory The price tag for a smartphone ranges between ______ - Answer- $200-$900 Tablet computers range from ____ - Answer- $200-$1200 Desktop and laptops are over ____ - Answer- $500 Computer ads are loaded with _______ and ______ such as______ - Answer- jargon and acronyms such as RAM, ROM, GHz, GB and USB Microprocessor - Answer- an integrated circuit designed to process instructions What is the most important and most expensive component of a digital device? - Answer- microprocessor Intel Corporation - Answer- worlds largest chipmaker and sells microprocessors that power desktops and laptops Intel's 8086 family of microprocessors powered the ______ - Answer- original IBM PC The 8086 chip family set the standard for processors used today - Answer- True This standard is referred to as ___ - Answer- x86 Processors based on ____ _technology dominate tablet computers and smartphones - Answer- ARM Who designed ARM technology? - Answer- ARM holdings, a British tech company founded by apple, acorn and VLSI ARM processors aren't energy efficient - Answer- False Where are ARM processors found? - Answer- Microsoft surface tablet, apple iPs and smashing galaxy phones Instructional set - Answer- contains a collection of instructions for actions that the circuitry in a microprocessor can perform Microprocessors can't directly understand ____________, such as C++, BASIC, COBOL or Java, so programs have to be converted into __________ that corresponds to the microprocessor's instruction set - Answer- programming language, machine language ALU - Answer- arithmetic logic unit ALU - Answer- part of the microprocessor that performs arithmetic operations such as addition and subtraction The ALU uses ________ to hold data that is being processed - Answer- registers The microprocessors ______ ______ fetches each instruction - Answer- control unit Instruction cycle - Answer- refers to the process in which a computer executes a single instruction Machine language instructions are held in ________ - Answer- memory when the program begins, the memory address of the first instruction is placed in a part of the microprocessor's control unit called an - Answer- instruction pointer The ALU is responsible for performing _______ and _____ operations - Answer- arithmetic and logical operations A microprocessor's performance is affected by several factors, including - Answer- clock speed, number of cores, processing techniques, cache size, word size, and instruction set Aprocessor specification indicates the speed of the _____________ - Answer- microprocessor clock microprocessor clock - Answer- a timing device that sets the pace for executing instructions Cycle - Answer- the smallest unit of time in a microprocessor's universe; every action a processor performs is measured by cycles Gigaherrtz (GHz) - Answer- a billion cycles per second