Term
| Integrated circuit (pg. 191) |
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Definition
| An entire electronic circuit, including wires, formed on a single “chip”, or piece, of special material, usually silicon |
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Term
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Definition
| Material whose electrical properties are intermediate between a good conductor of electricity and a nonconductor of electricity |
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Term
| Microprocessor (pg. 192) (microscopic processor/processor chip) |
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Definition
| The miniaturized circuitry of a computer processor- the CPU, the part that processes, or manipulates, data into information |
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Term
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Definition
| Has only two digits: 0 and 1 |
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Term
| EBCDIC (pg. 197) (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code) |
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Definition
| Binary code used with large computers, such as mainframes |
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Term
| ASCII (pg. 197) (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) |
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Definition
| The binary code most widely used with microcomputers |
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Term
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Definition
| Uses 2 bytes (16 bits) for each character, rather than 1 byte (8 bits) |
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Term
| Parity bit (pg. 198) (check bit) |
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Definition
| An extra bit attached to the end of a byte for purposes of checking for accuracy |
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Term
| Machine language (pg. 199) |
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Definition
| A binary-type programming language built into the CPU that the computer can run directly |
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Term
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Definition
| A shelf or an opening used for the installation of electronic equipment |
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Term
| Multicore processor (pg. 205) |
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Definition
| more processor “cores” on a single piece of silicon |
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Term
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Definition
| “Millions of instructions per second” |
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Term
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Definition
| Stands for “floating-point operations per second. |
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Term
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Definition
| The number of bits that the processor may process at any one time |
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Term
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Definition
| Deciphers each instruction stored in the CPU and then carries out the instruction |
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Term
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Definition
| The CPU (1) fetches an instruction, (2) decodes the instruction, (3) executes the instruction, and (4) stores the result. |
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Term
| Arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) |
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Definition
| Performs arithmetic operations and logical operations and controls the speed of those operations |
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Term
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Definition
| High-speed storage areas that temporarily store data during processing |
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Term
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Definition
| Electrical data roadways through which bits are transmitted within the CPU and between the CPU and other components of the motherboard |
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Term
| CMOS chip (pg. 211) (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor chip) |
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Definition
| Powered by a battery and thus doesn’t lose its contents when the power is turned off |
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Term
| Flash memory chip (pg. 211) |
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Definition
| Can be erased and reprogrammed more than once |
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Term
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Definition
| Temporarily stores instructions and data that the processor is likely to use frequently. Thus, cache speeds up processing. |
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Term
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Definition
| Some free hard-disk space is used to extend the capacity of RA |
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Term
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Definition
| Will send bits one at a time, one after another |
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Term
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Definition
| Allows 8 bits (1 byte) to be transmitted simultaneously |
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Term
| SCSI port (pg. 213) (small computer system interface port) |
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Definition
| Allows data to be transmitted in a “daisy chain” to up to seven devices connected to a single port at speeds (32 bits at a time) higher than those possible with serial and parallel ports |
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Term
| USB port (pg. 214) (universal serial bus port) |
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Definition
| Can theoretically connect up to 127 peripheral devices in a daisy chain |
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Term
| Fire Wire (IEEE-1394) (pg. 216) |
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Definition
| Intended for devices working with lots of data- not just mice and keyboards but digital video recorders, DVD players, gaming consoles, and digital audio equipment |
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Term
| Expansion card (pg. 217) (expansion boards, adapter cards, interface cards, plug-in boards, controller cards, add-ins, or add-ons) |
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Definition
| Circuit boards that provide more memory or that control peripheral devices |
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Term
| PCI bus (pg. 218) (peripheral component interconnect bus) |
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Definition
| A high-speed bus that is 32 or 64 bits wide |
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Term
| AGP bus (pg. 218) (accelerated graphics port bus) |
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Definition
| Transmits data at twice the speed of a PCI bus and is designed to support video and 3-D graphics |
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Term
| Network interface card (NIC) (pg. 220) |
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Definition
| Allows the transmission of data over a cable network |
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Term
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Definition
| Thin, credit card-size (2.1- by 3.4-inch) devices used principally on laptop computers to expand capabilities |
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Term
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Definition
| Thin but rigid metal, glass, or ceramic platters covered with a substance that allows data to be held in the form of magnetized spots |
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Term
| Removable hard disk, or hard-disk cartridge (pg. 224) (hard-disk cartridge) |
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Definition
| Consists of one or two platters enclosed along with read/write heads in a hard plastic case, which is inserted into a cartridge drive built into the microcomputer’s system unit |
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Term
| RAID storage system (pg. 225) (redundant array of independent [or inexpensive] disks storage system) |
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Definition
| Links a removable disk, usually 4.75 inches in diameter and less than one-twentieth of an inch thick, on which data is written and read through the user of laser beams. |
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Term
| DVD-ROM (pg. 227) (digital versatile disk or digital video disk with read-only memory) |
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Definition
| A CD-style disk with extremely high capacity, able to store 4.7 or more gigabytes |
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Term
| DVD-R disk (pg. 227) (DVD recordable disk) |
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Definition
| Allows one-time recording by the user |
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Term
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Definition
| Optical format that was developed to enable recording, rewriting, and playback of high-definition (HD) video, as well as storing large amounts of data |
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Term
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Definition
| Thin plastic tape coated with a substance that can be magnetized. Data is represented by magnetized spots (representing 1s) or non-magnetized spots (representing 0s). |
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Term
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Definition
| Looks like a credit card but has a microprocessor and memory chips embedded in it |
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Term
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Definition
| Plastic, laser-recordable, wallet-type cards used with an optical-card reader |
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Term
| What is the function of a semiconductor? (pg. 192 |
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Definition
| Electrical properties are intermediate between a good conductor of electricity and a nonconductor of electricity |
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Term
| What is one of the most important microchips in a computer? (pg. 192) |
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Definition
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Term
| Explain the basics of a binary coding scheme. (pgs. 195-197) |
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Definition
| Binary code uses one two digits: 0 and 1. Thus, the number 0 can be represented by the electrical current being off and the 1 by the current being on. |
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Term
| What is the purpose of a parity bit in a binary coding scheme? (pg. 198) |
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Definition
| An extra bit attached to the end of a byte for purposes of checking for accuracy |
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Term
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Definition
| A shelf or an opening used for the installation of electronic equipment |
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Term
| Explain the problem addressed by multicore processors and how they resolve the problem? (pg. 205) |
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Definition
| No matter how fast a processor runs, it can only do one thing at a time. A multicore processor allows for the division of work over more than one processor. |
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Term
| What is the main difference between a 500MHz computer and a 3GHz computer? (pg. 206) |
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Definition
| The number of transistors increases as the frequency increases. |
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Term
| Identify and explain the purpose of the two main components of the CPU. (pg. 208) |
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Definition
| The CPU’s two parts include (1) the control unit and (2) the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU), both of which contain registers, or high-speed storage areas. |
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Term
| Contrast registers and buses. (pg. 209) |
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Definition
| Registers are special high-speed storage areas and buses are data roadways. |
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Term
| Why would a PC owner want to increase RAM capacity? (pg. 210) |
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Definition
| The more RAM a computer has, the more efficiently the computer operates and the better the software on the computer performs. |
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Term
| Describe the purpose of cache memory. (pg. 211) |
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Definition
| Temporarily stores instructions and data that the processor is likely to use frequently. Thus, cache speeds up processing. |
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Term
| How do bursting and hyperthreading improve system performance? (pg. 212-213) |
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Definition
| Bursting provides the CPU with additional data from memory based on the likelihood that it will be needed. |
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Term
| What are some common expansion cards? (pg. 219-220) |
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Definition
Graphics cards- for monitors
Sound cards- for speakers and audio output
Modem cards- for remote communication via phone lines
Network interface cards- for remote communication via cable
PC cards- for laptop computers |
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Term
| How does the capacity of a nonremovable hard disk compare to the capacity of a standard 3.5 inch floppy disk? (pgs. 221-224) |
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Definition
A floppy disk (diskette/disk) is a removable flat piece of mylar plastic packaged in a 3.5-inch plastic case.
A removable disk consists of one or two platters enclosed along with read/write heads in a hard plastic case, which is inserted into a cartridge drive built into the microcomputer’s system unit |
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Term
| Describe the main features of a nonremovable hard disk. (pg. 224) |
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Definition
| A nonremovable disk (hard disk) is housed in the microcomputer system unit and is used to store nearly all programs and most data files. |
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Term
| What is the main advantage to a RAID system? (pg. 225) |
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Definition
| Response time is significantly improved. |
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Term
| What are the main characteristics of each of the major types of DVDs? (pg. 227) |
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Definition
DVD-ROM: A CD-style disk with extremely high capacity, able to store 4.7 or more gigabytes
DVD-R: Allows one-time recording by the user |
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Term
| Explain Moore’s law and the material limitations that may affect it. (pg. 234) |
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Definition
| A prediction that the number of circuits on a silicon chip would keep doubling every 18 months. Material limitations that may affect is include gas. |
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Term
| How would optical computing differ from electrical computing? (pg. 235-236) |
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Definition
| Optical computing would use light instead of electricity. |
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