stog Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is the smallest unit of data that a binary computer can recognize?
Bit
A bit can be either a 1 or a 0.
How many bits are in a byte?
8 bits
A byte is commonly used to express the size of documents and files.
What does ASCII stand for?
American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASCII is a coding system traditionally used with personal computers.
What is the primary purpose of the CPU?
To perform the vast majority of processing for a computer
It is also known as the processor or microprocessor.
True or False: EBCDIC is primarily used for personal computers.
False
EBCDIC was developed by IBM primarily for mainframe use.
What is machine language?
Binary-based language for representing computer programs
It is the language that the computer can execute directly.
What is the main circuit board inside the system unit called?
Motherboard
All devices must connect to the motherboard.
What does a dual-core CPU contain?
Two separate processors on a single CPU
A quad-core CPU contains four cores.
Fill in the blank: The amount of data that a CPU can manipulate at one time is known as _______.
Word size
What is RAM?
Random Access Memory
It is the computer’s main memory and is volatile.
What type of memory retains its contents when the power goes out?
ROM
ROM stands for Read-Only Memory.
What is cache memory?
A special group of very fast memory chips located on or close to the CPU
More cache memory typically means faster processing.
What is the function of the system clock?
Synchronizes the computer’s operations
It provides timing for the computer’s processes.
True or False: The CPU clock speed is measured in megabytes.
False
CPU clock speed is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).
What is pipelining in computer processing?
Allows multiple instructions to be processed at one time
It improves the efficiency of CPU operations.
What is nanotechnology?
The science of creating tiny computers and components less than 100 nanometers in size
Future applications may be built by working at the individual atomic and molecular levels.
What characterizes quantum computing?
Utilizes atoms or nuclei working together as quantum bits (qubits)
Qubits can represent more than two states.
What is an expansion card?
A circuit board used to add additional functionality or to attach a peripheral device
Expansion cards are inserted into expansion slots.
Fill in the blank: The amount of data that can be transferred by the bus in a given time period is known as _______.
Throughput
What is the purpose of benchmark tests?
To evaluate overall processing speed
They can help in comparing different computer systems.
What is the difference between volatile and non-volatile memory?
Volatile memory loses its contents when powered off, while non-volatile memory retains its contents
RAM is volatile, while ROM is non-volatile.
What does the term ‘bus width’ refer to?
The number of wires in the bus over which data can travel
Bus width and speed determine the throughput of the bus.
What is the primary coding system designed to represent text in any language?
Unicode
It is replacing ASCII as the primary text-coding system.
What are the two states that digital computers can understand?
Off and on (0 and 1)
This binary representation is fundamental to digital computing.
