Chapter 2: Key Terms

Question 1

Computer

Answer 1

a machine that accepts data as input, processes data without human intervention by using stored instructions, and outputs information

Question 2

Central Processing Unit (CPU

Answer 2

the heart of a computer. It is derived into two components: the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and the control unit

Question 3

Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

Answer 3

performs arithmetic operations (+, -, *, /) as well as comparison or relational operations (, =)

Question 4

Control Unit

Answer 4

tells the computer what to do, such as instructing the computer which device to read or send output to

Question 5

Bus

Answer 5

a link between devices connected to the computer. It can be parallel or serial, internal (local) or external

Question 6

Disk drive

Answer 6

a peripheral device for recording, storing, and retrieving information

Question 7

CPU case

Answer 7

the enclosure containing the computer’s main components

Question 8

What are the other names for the CPU case?

Answer 8

Chassis or Tower

Question 9

Motherboard

Answer 9

the main circuit board containing connectors for attaching additional boards.

Question 10

What does the motherboard usually contain?

Answer 10

CPU, Basic Input/output System, memory, storage, interfaces, serial and parallel ports, expansion slots, and all the controllers for standard peripheral devices, such as the display monitor, disk drive, and keyboard

Question 11

Input devices

Answer 11

sends data and information to the computer

Question 12

What is an example of an input device?

Answer 12

keyboard or mouse

Question 13

Output device

Answer 13

is capable of representing information from a computer.

Question 14

What are the different forms of an output device?

Answer 14

visual, audio, or digital

Question 15

What are some examples of an output device?

Answer 15

printers, display monitors, and plotters

Question 16

Main memory

Answer 16

stores data and information and is usually volatile; its contents are lost when electrical power is turned off

Question 17

Secondary memory

Answer 17

nonvolatile, holds data when the computer is off or during the course of a program’s operation. It also services as an archival storage

Question 18

Random access memory (RAM)

Answer 18

volatile memory, in which data can be read from and written to

Question 19

What is another name for random access memory?

Answer 19

Read-write memory

Question 20

cache RAM

Answer 20

stores recently accessed memory so the processor is not waiting for the memory to transfer

Question 21

Where does the cache RAM reside?

Answer 21

On the processor

Question 22

Read only memory (ROM)

Answer 22

nonvolatile, data cannot be written to ROM

Question 23

Magnetic tape

Answer 23

made of a plastic material, resembles a cassette tape and stores data sequentially

Question 24

Magnetic disk

Answer 24

made of Mylar or metal, is used for random-access processing. Data can be accessed in any order, regardless of its order on the surface.

Question 25

Optical discs

Answer 25

use laser beams to access and store data

Question 26

What are some examples of optical discs?

Answer 26

CD-ROMs, WORM discs, and DVD's

Question 27

Cloud storage

Answer 27

used for online storage and backup; involves multiple virtual servers that are usually hosted by third parties. Customers buy or lease storage space from third parties based on their current or future need

Question 28

Redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system

Answer 28

collection of disk drivers used for fault tolerance and improved performance, and is typically found in large network systems

Question 29

Storage area network (SAN)

Answer 29

a dedicated high-speed network consisting of both hardware and software used to connect and mange shared storage devices, such as disk arrays, tape libraries and optical storage devices

Question 30

Network-attached storage (NAS)

Answer 30

essentially a network-connected computer dedicated to providing file-based data storage services to other network devices

Question 31

Server

Answer 31

a computer and all the software for managing network resources and offering services to a network

Question 32

Application software

Answer 32

can be commercial software or software developed in house and is used to perform a variety of tasks on a personal computer

Question 33

Operating system (OS)

Answer 33

a set of programs for controlling and managing computer hardware and software

Question 34

Machine language

Answer 34

the first generation of computer languages, consists of a series of 0s and 1s representing data or instructions.

Question 35

Can machine language be used across different computers?

Answer 35

No. It is dependent on the machine. Code written for one type of computer does not work on another type of computer

Question 36

Assembly language

Answer 36

the second generation of computer languages, is a higher-level language than machine language but is also machine dependent. It uses a series of short codes, or mnemonics, to represent data or instruction

Question 37

High-level language

Answer 37

are machine independent and part of the third-generation of computer languages.

Question 38

Fourth-generation language (4GLs)

Answer 38

uses macro codes that can take the place of several lines of programming. The commands are powerful and easy to learn

Question 39

Fifth-generation languages

Answer 39

use some artificial intelligence technologies. These languages are designed to facilitate natural conversation between you and the computer.