Question 1

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT What component converts the AC power in a wall plug to the DC power required by a computer?

Accepted Answer

The power supply unit (PSU) in a computer converts the AC power from a wall outlet into the DC power that the computer components require to function.

Question 2

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT Which of the following connects the processor to cache?

Accepted Answer

The Backside Bus (BSB) connects the processor to the cache, specifically the L2 cache, allowing for faster data access compared to the Front Side Bus (FSB).

Question 3

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT Which of the following identifies three types of RAM in sequence from the slowest to the fastest?

Accepted Answer

DRAM is slower than SRAM, and RDRAM is faster than both DRAM and SRAM.

Question 4

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT A computer technician told your friend he needed a circuit board that provides a connection to a peripheral device for use with his computer. What category of circuit board should your friend purchase?

Accepted Answer

An adapter card is a type of circuit board that provides a connection to a peripheral device, allowing it to interface with the computer.

Question 5

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT You want to allow sound to be input through a microphone and output through external speakers on your computer. What must you have in order to do this?

Accepted Answer

A sound card is necessary for processing audio input from a microphone and outputting it to external speakers.

Question 6

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT What type of circuit board is used to convert computer output into a video signal that displays an image on a monitor?

Accepted Answer

A graphics card is used to convert computer output into a video signal that displays an image on a monitor.

Question 7

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT With the cover off the system unit of a lab computer, your instructor pointed out a type of nonvolatile memory that can be erased electronically and rewritten. What did your instructor call this memory?

Accepted Answer

Flash memory is a type of nonvolatile memory that can be electronically erased and rewritten, commonly used in computers and other electronic devices.

Question 8

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT What is the term for an electrical channel within the circuitry of a computer than can transfer 8 bytes of data at a time?

Accepted Answer

A 64-bit bus can transfer 8 bytes (since 1 byte = 8 bits) of data at a time, as it has a width of 64 bits.

Question 9

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT What is memory access time?

Accepted Answer

Memory access time is the duration it takes for the processor to read data, instructions, and information from memory.

Question 10

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT Which of the following identifies ROM chips that contain permanently written data, instructions, or information?

Accepted Answer

Firmware is software that is permanently written onto ROM chips, containing data, instructions, or information essential for the hardware to function.

Question 11

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT What is the best analog for a 32-bit bus?

Accepted Answer

A 32-lane highway is the best analogy for a 32-bit bus because both allow for the simultaneous transfer of 32 units of data or vehicles, respectively, in parallel paths.

Question 12

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT If your instructor turns on his computer and then starts a web browser, what contents are in RAM?

Accepted Answer

When the instructor turns on the computer and starts a web browser, the RAM contains the web browser instructions and certain operating system instructions necessary for running the browser.

Question 13

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT Memory access times can be measured in fractions of a second. When measuring memory access times, which of the following is the fastest?

Accepted Answer

Picoseconds are the smallest unit of time among the options given, making them the fastest for measuring memory access times.

Question 14

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT What is the purpose of the system bus?

Accepted Answer

It connects the processor to main memory.

Question 15

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT When your friend turns off her computer, what kind of memory loses its contents?

Accepted Answer

Volatile memory, such as RAM, loses its contents when the computer is turned off.

Question 16

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT What does CMOS, which provides high speeds and consumes little power, stand for?

Accepted Answer

CMOS stands for complementary metal-oxide semiconductor, which is a technology used for constructing integrated circuits, known for high speed and low power consumption.

Question 17

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT When determining the amount of RAM necessary for a computer you wish to purchase, what should you consider?

Accepted Answer

The types of software you plan to use determine the RAM requirements, as more demanding applications require more memory to run efficiently.

Question 18

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT You want to add a new external hard disk to your computer, but you are unable to connect because you have run out of USB ports. Which of the following can you use instead?

Accepted Answer

A USB hub can be used to expand the number of available USB ports, allowing you to connect additional devices like an external hard disk.

Question 19

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT Where do RAM chips usually reside within a computer?

Accepted Answer

RAM chips are typically mounted on a memory module, which is then inserted into a memory slot on the motherboard.

Question 20

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT Which component allows processors to perform at faster rates than those processors that do not have this component?

Accepted Answer

Advanced transfer cache is a type of cache memory that improves processor performance by reducing the time needed to access data from the main memory, allowing for faster processing speeds.

Quiz 6: Inside Computers and Mobile Devices: Exploring the Components