Deck 2: Computer Hardware

Question 1

"160 GB 8 ms HD" means a hard disk drive with 160 megabyte capacity and an access time of 8 milliseconds.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

RAM is usually a single chip or small circuit board that plugs into the motherboard.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Too much dependence on virtual memory can have a negative effect on your computer's performance because getting data from a mechanical device is much slower than getting data from an electronic device.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Whereas RAM is permanent and non-volatile, ROM is temporary and volatile.

Question 5

A CISC processor performs most instructions faster than a RISC processor.

Question 6

Today, a home computer system offers a hardware platform with super-charged support for most computer applications.

Question 7

Megahertz means a billion cycles per second.

Question 8

All other things being equal, a computer with a 1.5 GHz processor is faster than a computer with a 3.2 GHz processor.

Question 9

A microprocessor with an 8-bit word size has 64-bit registers, processes 64 bits at a time, and is referred to as a 64-bit processor.

Question 10

Today's personal computers typically contain 32-bit or 64-bit processors.

Question 11

An optical disk, such as a CD, is not susceptible to humidity, fingerprints, dust, magnets, or spilled soft drinks, and its useful life is estimated at more than 30 years.

Question 12

You can usually identify the microprocessor when looking inside a computer, as it is the only chip on the motherboard.

Question 13

A microprocessor can operate at full efficiency only if all components in the computer can also handle the faster speeds.

Question 14

Pipelining and parallel processing significantly impair processor performance.

Question 15

DVD-R technology allows you to write data on a disk, and then change that data.

Question 16

A CD drive is a storage device that uses laser technology to read data permanently stored on computer or audio CDs.

Question 17

The system unit is the case that holds the main circuit boards, microprocessor, power supply, and storage devices of a personal computer system.

Question 18

When you change the configuration of your computer system, the data in EEPROM must be updated.

Question 19

Processors with a smaller word size can process more data during each processor cycle.

Question 20

Most processors in today's personal computers use RISC technology.

Question 21

Most CD drives can read CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW and DVD-RW.

Question 22

Contact time is the average time that it takes a computer to locate data on a storage medium and read it.

Question 23

RAM speed is often expressed in nanoseconds or megahertz.

Question 24

A CRT's refresh rate is the speed at which the screen is repainted.

Question 25

RAM circuitry holds "hard-wired" instructions that are a permanent part of the circuitry.

Question 26

The microprocessor is the most important component of a computer, and usually the most expensive single component.

Question 27

The capacity of the initial CD-ROM standard offered 4.7 GB (4,700 MB).

Question 28

CD-R technology allows you to write data on a CD disk, and then change that data.

Question 29

The number of horizontal and vertical pixels that a device displays on a screen is referred to as its resolution .

Question 30

SATA, EIDE, Ultra ATA, and SCSI refer to the type of controller used by a hard disk drive.

Question 31

On some monitors, the viewable image does not stretch to the edge of the screen.

Question 32

The design of most computer keyboards is based on the typewriter's POINTY layout.

Question 33

The more data and programs that can fit into CMOS , the less time your computer will spend moving data to and from virtual memory.

Question 34

An ink jet printer has a nozzle-like print head that sprays ink onto paper to form characters and graphics.

Question 35

Data stored on a(n) DVD+RW disk can be recorded and erased multiple times, making it a very flexible storage option.

Question 36

The system unit case for a desktop computer contains several storage device "parking spaces" called drive bays .

Question 37

A USB flash drive is a portable storage device featuring a built-in connector that plugs directly into a computer's USB port.

Question 38

A computer can move directly to any file on a(n) sequential access device.

Question 39

The higher the storage mass , the more data it can store.

Question 40

A trackball looks like the tip of an eraser embedded in the keyboard of a notebook computer.

Question 41

____ processing allows for multiple instructions to be executed simultaneously.

A) Serial
B) Parallel
C) Benchmark
D) Amalgamated

Question 42

Some processor manufacturers use a technology called ____ to increase the speed of data moving to the processor.

A) HyperTransport
B) FSB
C) Level 1 cache
D) HTT

Question 43

____ means a billion cycles per second.

A) Gigahertz
B) Megahertz
C) Exahertz
D) Nanohertz

Question 44

____ size refers to the number of bits that a microprocessor can manipulate at one time.

A) Processor
B) Word
C) Register
D) ALU

Question 45

A ____ computer is a portable computing device featuring a touch-sensitive screen that can be used as a writing or drawing pad.

A) PDA
B) tablet
C) desktop
D) microcomputer

Question 46

The case for a vertical system unit is often referred to as a ____.

A) cube
B) minicase
C) base
D) tower

Question 47

Using a technology called ____, a processor can begin executing an instruction before it completes the previous instruction.

A) serial processing
B) multitasking
C) pipelining
D) benchmarking

Question 48

Most consumers select more powerful models that cost ____.

A) $300 or a bit less
B) between $800 and $1,100
C) between $2,000 and $4,000
D) more than $4,000

Question 49

____ units are the form factor of choice for computer owners who might want to upgrade components in the future because it is easy to get inside the case and swap out parts.

A) Cube
B) Base
C) Tower
D) Minicase

Question 50

A(n) ____ is a small form factor tablet computer designed to run most of the software available for larger portable computers.

A) digital
B) mini-notebook
C) ultra-mobile PC
D) microtablet

Question 51

A microprocessor with a limited set of simple instructions uses ____ technology.

A) parallel
B) RISC
C) CISC
D) benchmarked

Question 52

For gaming, computers quickly climb past the ____ price point.

A) $4,000
B) $5,000
C) $6,000
D) $10,000

Question 53

A(n) ____ tablet configuration resembles a high-tech clipboard and lacks a built-in keyboard.

A) convertible
B) slate
C) ultra-mobile
D) portable

Question 54

The term ____ refers to the size and dimensions of a computer component.

A) form factor
B) system specification
C) disk header
D) peripheral metric

Question 55

A ____ computer is also referred to as a laptop.

A) desktop
B) tablet
C) notebook
D) PDA

Question 56

In the context of computing, a(n) ____ is a custom, a hand-built modification to a computer system component.

A) bit
B) icon
C) key
D) mod

Question 57

The price of an entry-level desktop computer starts at ____.

A) $100
B) $300
C) $575
D) $800

Question 58

With ____ processing, the processor must complete all the steps in the instruction cycle before it begins to execute the next instruction.

A) serial
B) parallel
C) pipelined
D) integrated

Question 59

The term ____ device designates equipment that might be added to a computer system to enhance its functionality.

A) digital
B) system
C) disk
D) peripheral

Question 60

The speed specifications that you see in a computer ad indicate the speed of the microprocessor ____.

A) control unit
B) register
C) clock
D) register

Question 61

____ was first developed for the Nintendo 64 game system, and was later adapted for use in personal computers.

A) SDRAM
B) RDRAM
C) RIMM
D) SO-RIMM

Question 62

____ is a type of memory circuitry that holds the computer's startup routine.

A) RIM (Read Initial Memory)
B) RAM (Random Access Memory)
C) ROM (Read-Only Memory)
D) REM (Ready Ever Memory)

Question 63

Personal computer hard disk platters typically have storage capacities ranging from 40 GB to ____.

A) 60 GB
B) 100 GB
C) 500 GB
D) 900 GB

Question 64

CD and DVD storage technologies can be classified as ____ storage.

A) solid state
B) bubble
C) magnetic
D) optical

Question 65

RAM speed is often expressed in ____.

A) milliseconds
B) macroseconds
C) megaseconds
D) nanoseconds

Question 66

____ access is the ability of a device to "jump" directly to the requested data.

A) Sequential
B) Jump
C) Random
D) Quick

Question 67

____ is fast and relatively inexpensive.

A) RDRAM
B) RIMM
C) DIMM
D) SDRAM

Question 68

____ is a technique for increasing the speed of a computer component.

A) Benchmarking
B) Overclocking
C) Serial processing
D) Pipelining

Question 69

Which of the following is NOT true of hard disk drive?

A) They provide lots of storage capacity.
B) They provide fast access to files.
C) Hard disks are economical.
D) Hard disk drives are in personal computers but not iPods and TiVos.

Question 70

____ time is the average time it takes a computer to locate data on the storage medium and read it.

A) Identification
B) Isolation
C) Access
D) Find

Question 71

____ is a temporary holding area for data, application program instructions, and the operating system.

A) ROM
B) CMOS
C) Disk storage
D) RAM

Question 72

Hard disk, floppy disk, and tape storage technologies can be classified as ____ storage.

A) optical
B) magnetic
C) fluid-state
D) pipelined

Question 73

Unlike disk storage, most RAM is ____.

A) virtual
B) integrated
C) non-volatile
D) volatile

Question 74

Data ____ rate is the amount of data that a storage device can move from the storage medium to the computer per second.

A) migration
B) transfer
C) digitizing
D) access

Question 75

Some Media Center PCs have a built-in ____ to make it simpler to transfer photos from your camera to your computer.

A) card reader
B) USB drive
C) U3 drive
D) MP3 media player

Question 76

If a program exceeds the allocated space in RAM, the operating system uses an area of the hard disk called ____ memory to store parts of a program or data file until they are needed.

A) volatile
B) capacitor
C) virtual
D) integrated

Question 77

Storage ____ refers to the closeness and size of the magnetic particles on the surface of a disk.

A) proximity
B) probity
C) density
D) alacrity

Question 78

____ memory is a type of chip that requires no power to hold data.

A) RAM
B) EEPROM
C) ROM
D) BIOS

Question 79

The ____ holds computer configuration settings such as the date and time, hard disk capacity, number of floppy disk drives, and RAM capacity. .

A) ROM
B) RAM
C) DVD
D) EEPROM

Question 80

A hard disk ____ is a flat, rigid disk made of aluminum or glass and coated with magnetic iron oxide particles.

A) window
B) fragment
C) platter
D) control unit