Question 1

Saving is the process of copying items from a storage device such as a hard disk to RAM.

Accepted Answer

Saving is the process of transferring data from RAM to a storage device such as a hard disk.

Question 2

The access time (speed) of memory has no effect on how fast a computer processes data.

Accepted Answer

The access time (speed) of memory does have an effect on how fast a computer processes data. The faster the memory access time, the faster the computer can retrieve and process data. Slower memory can bottleneck the processing speed of a computer.

Question 3

Buses transfer bits from input devices to memory, from memory to the processor, from the processor to memory, and from memory to output or storage devices.

Accepted Answer

Buses are the pathways that transfer data between different components of a computer system, including input devices, memory, processor, output devices, and storage devices. Therefore, they do transfer bits from input devices to memory, from memory to processor, from processor to memory, and from memory to output or storage devices.

Question 4

A byte is uninformative because it provides only enough different combinations of 0s and 1s to represent 8 individual characters.

Accepted Answer

A byte can represent up to 256 different combinations of 0s and 1s, which is enough to represent a variety of characters, not just 8.

Question 5

L1 cache is built directly into a processor chip and usually has a very small capacity.

Accepted Answer

L1 cache is built directly into the processor chip and has a small capacity, typically ranging from a few kilobytes to a few megabytes.

Question 6

A microsecond is one-trillionth of a second.

Accepted Answer

A microsecond is one-millionth of a second.

Question 7

A petabyte is equal to approximately 1 billion bytes.

Accepted Answer

A petabyte is equal to approximately 1 quadrillion bytes, which is 1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes.

Question 8

Manufacturers and other retailers usually list a computer's memory in terms of its access time.

Accepted Answer

Manufacturers and other retailers usually list a computer's memory in terms of its storage capacity, such as gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB). Access time is a performance measurement, but it is not typically used in memory specifications.

Question 9

Dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips are faster and more reliable than any version of SDRAM chips.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. While DRAM chips may be faster than some versions of SDRAM chips, newer generations of SDRAM, such as DDR4, can be just as fast and reliable as DRAM. Additionally, there are different types of DRAM, such as Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) and Double Data Rate (DDR) DRAM, which perform differently from each other.

Question 10

Most computers use flash memory to hold their startup instructions because it allows the computer easily to update its contents.

Accepted Answer

Flash memory is non-volatile and allows for easy updates, making it a common choice for holding a computer's startup instructions or BIOS.

Question 11

The larger the number of bits handled by the bus, the slower the computer transfers data.

Accepted Answer

The larger the number of bits handled by the bus, the faster the computer can potentially transfer data.

Question 12

In the binary system, the digit 1 represents the electronic state of off (absence of an electronic charge).

Accepted Answer

In the binary system, the digit 0 represents the electronic state of off (absence of an electronic charge), while the digit 1 represents the electronic state of on (presence of an electronic charge).

Question 13

A DC adapter converts the DC power from the wall outlet into the AC power that the peripheral requires.

Accepted Answer

A DC adapter actually converts the AC power from the wall outlet into the DC power that the peripheral requires.

Question 14

Two types of cache are memory cache and disk cache.

Accepted Answer

Memory cache stores frequently used data in the processor's memory, while disk cache stores frequently accessed data on the hard drive for quick retrieval.

Question 15

When the processor needs an instruction or data, it searches memory in this order: L1 cache, then L2 cache, then L3 cache (if it exists), then RAM - with a greater delay in processing for each level it must search.

Accepted Answer

This is the general hierarchy of memory access in a computer system.

Question 16

When the computer's power is turned off, volatile memory does not lose its contents.

Accepted Answer

Volatile memory, such as RAM, requires continuous power to maintain its stored data. When the power is turned off, the contents of volatile memory are lost.

Question 17

The data bus transfers information about where the data should reside in memory, and the address bus transfers actual data.

Accepted Answer

This statement is incorrect. The address bus transfers information about where the data should reside in memory, and the data bus transfers actual data.

Question 18

Having Plug and Play support means you can plug in a device, turn on the computer, and then immediately begin using the device.

Accepted Answer

Plug and Play support allows for automatic detection and installation of a device's drivers, allowing for immediate use without the need for manual configuration or installation.

Question 19

L2 cache is slightly faster than L1 cache but has a much smaller capacity.

Accepted Answer

L1 cache is faster but smaller, while L2 cache is slower but larger in capacity.

Question 20

ROM is nonvolatile.

Accepted Answer

ROM (Read-Only Memory) is a type of memory that retains its contents even when the device is turned off. It is nonvolatile, meaning the information on ROM is preserved even when power to the device is cut off.

Quiz 6: Inside Computers and Mobile Devices