1
Q
What is the main function of the CPU?
A
To process data and instructions, and control the rest of your computer.
2
Q
What are applications in computing?
A
Tasks that a general purpose computer can perform, such as accessing the internet, using software, playing games, and storing data.
3
Q
What is the fetch-execute cycle?
A
The process of fetching, decoding, and executing instructions in a CPU.
4
Q
What does RAM stand for?
A
Random Access Memory.
5
Q
What is the role of the ALU?
A
Responsible for carrying out arithmetic calculations and making logical decisions.
6
Q
What does CU stand for in computing?
A
Control Unit.
7
Q
What is cache memory?
A
A small amount of very fast memory located close to or in the CPU, providing fast access to frequently used instructions and data.
8
Q
What is a register in a CPU?
A
Tiny, super-fast pieces of onboard memory used to accept, store, and transfer data and instructions immediately.
9
Q
What does the Von Neumann architecture refer to?
A
A computer architecture that stores both instruction data and program data in the same memory.
10
Q
What is the purpose of the Memory Address Register (MAR)?
A
Holds the memory address where the data is to be fetched from or written to.
11
Q
What is the function of the Memory Data Register (MDR)?
A
Holds the data fetched from memory or to be written to memory.
12
Q
What is the purpose of the Program Counter?
A
Holds the address of the next instruction to be executed in memory.
13
Q
What is an accumulator in a CPU?
A
Holds the results of calculations performed by the CPU.
14
Q
What is clock speed measured in?
A
Hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz equals one cycle per second.
15
Q
What is overclocking?
A
Increasing the clock speed of a CPU to perform more cycles per second.
16
Q
What is an embedded system?
A
A dedicated computer system designed to perform one specific function.
17
Q
What are the properties of embedded systems?
A
- Low power consumption
- Small size
- Rugged operating systems
- Low cost per unit
- Part of a larger system
18
Q
What is primary storage?
A
- RAM
- ROM
- Registers
- Cache
19
Q
What distinguishes volatile memory from non-volatile memory?
A
Volatile memory loses its contents when power is lost, while non-volatile memory retains data without power.
20
Q
What is the purpose of ROM in a computer system?
A
Holds startup instructions for the computer and is non-volatile.
21
Q
What is the purpose of RAM in a computer system?
A
Temporary storage of instructions and data currently being used by the processor.
22
Q
What is virtual memory?
A
A section of the hard drive used when RAM is full, allowing the computer to run more applications.
23
Q
What is secondary storage?
A
Non-volatile storage with a larger capacity used for long-term data retention.
24
Q
What are common types of storage?
A
- Optical (CD, DVD)
- Magnetic (hard disk, tape)
- Solid state (SSD, flash memory)
25
What are the advantages of solid-state drives (SSDs)?
* Durable
* Fast access time
* Low power usage
* No moving parts
26
What is the difference between capacity and speed in storage devices?
Capacity refers to how much data can be stored, while speed refers to how quickly data can be read or transferred.
27
What is the unit of data storage for 1 byte?
8 bits.
28
What does the term 'Most Significant Bit' (MSB) mean?
The bit in a binary number that has the highest positional value.
29
How do you convert a positive denary whole number to binary?
Multiply by 2 and record the remainders.
30
What is an overflow error in binary addition?
Occurs when the result exceeds the maximum value that can be represented with the given number of bits.
31
What is hexadecimal used for?
A base-16 numbering system used in computing for a more human-readable representation of binary numbers.
32
How are binary integers converted to hexadecimal?
Group binary digits into nibbles (4 bits) and convert each group to its hexadecimal equivalent.
33
What is the binary representation of the denary number 82?
01010010
## Footnote
The binary representation is derived from the powers of 2 corresponding to the denary value.
34
What is a nibble in binary?
A group of 4 bits
## Footnote
Nibbles are commonly used in computing to simplify the representation of binary numbers.
35
What is the hexadecimal representation of the denary number 166?
A6
## Footnote
Hexadecimal is a base-16 number system used in computing.
36
What does a left binary shift do?
Multiplies the number by 2
## Footnote
Each left shift increases the value by a factor of two.
37
What is a character set?
A list of characters recognized by a computer
## Footnote
Each character is represented by a unique binary number.
38
What does ASCII stand for?
American Standard Code for Information Interchange
## Footnote
ASCII is a character encoding standard for electronic communication.
39
What is the difference between ASCII and Extended ASCII?
Extended ASCII uses 8 bits, allowing for 256 combinations
## Footnote
Standard ASCII uses 7 bits for 128 combinations.
40
What does Unicode offer compared to ASCII?
Thousands of international and multilingual characters
## Footnote
Unicode supports a vast range of characters beyond basic English.
41
How is a bitmap image represented?
Made up of different colored squares
## Footnote
Each square corresponds to a pixel with a binary value.
42
What is metadata in the context of images?
Information that describes the image
## Footnote
Includes details such as width, height, and bit depth.
43
What is the formula for calculating sound file size?
(number of samples per second) x (number of bits per sample) x (length of sample)
## Footnote
This formula helps determine the storage requirements for audio files.
44
What is the difference between lossy and lossless compression?
Lossy reduces file size by losing some data; lossless retains all data
## Footnote
Lossy compression is often used for images and audio, while lossless is used for text and executables.
45
What is a LAN?
Local Area Network
## Footnote
Covers a small geographical area, typically within a single site.
46
What is a WAN?
Wide Area Network
## Footnote
Connects multiple LANs over a broad geographical area.
47
What does bandwidth measure?
The amount of data sent and received in a specified time
## Footnote
Measured in bits per second, not speed.
48
What is the role of a router in a network?
Sends data between networks
## Footnote
Routers create a WAN from multiple LANs.
49
What is a switch's function in a LAN?
Sends data between computers
## Footnote
Switches intelligently forward traffic to the correct location.
50
What is the purpose of an NIC?
Allows a device to connect to a network
## Footnote
Network Interface Cards are essential for both wired and wireless connections.
51
What is the main characteristic of fiber optic cables?
Uses lights to transmit data
## Footnote
Fiber optics provide higher bandwidth and longer distances than copper cables.
52
What is the difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web?
The Internet is a network of networks; the Web is a service on the Internet
## Footnote
The Web uses the Internet to deliver web pages.
53
What does DNS stand for?
Domain Name Server
## Footnote
DNS translates domain names into IP addresses.
54
What is cloud storage?
Data and programs stored on servers accessible over the Internet
## Footnote
Cloud services offer convenience and large storage capacity.
55
What is a star network topology?
All devices connect to a central switch
## Footnote
If one cable breaks, only that computer is affected.
56
What is a mesh network topology?
Every device is connected to every other device
## Footnote
Provides multiple routes for data, enhancing reliability.
57
What does Wi-Fi allow users to do?
Connect wirelessly to a network
## Footnote
Wi-Fi enables mobility but has lower bandwidth than wired connections.
58
What is Bluetooth used for?
Short-range wireless data exchange
## Footnote
Ideal for connecting personal devices.
59
What is encryption?
Converting readable data into an unreadable format
## Footnote
Requires a secret key for decryption.
60
What is a MAC address?
A unique identifier for a network device
## Footnote
MAC addresses are fixed and used for routing on a LAN.
61
What does IP stand for?
Internet Protocol
## Footnote
IP addresses can change and are used to route packets on a WAN.
62
What are the two versions of IP?
IPv4 and IPv6
## Footnote
IPv4 has around 4 billion addresses; IPv6 vastly increases this.
63
What does MAC stand for in networking?
Media Access Control
## Footnote
Every device on a network has a network interface card (NIC) with a MAC address used to route frames on a LAN.
64
What is the purpose of an IP address?
To route frames on a WAN
## Footnote
In a WAN, frames are referred to as packets.
65
What are the two versions of IP?
* IPv4 (4 bytes, 32 bits)
* IPv6 (16 bytes, 128 bits)
## Footnote
IPv4 has around 4 billion possibilities, while IPv6 has around 340 trillion trillion trillion.
66
What is a standard in the context of computer science?
A set of rules that everyone will follow
## Footnote
Standards are vital in computer science but are often applied inconsistently.
67
What does TCP/IP stand for?
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
## Footnote
TCP provides error-free transmission, while IP routes packets across a WAN.
68
What is HTTP?
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
## Footnote
It is a way for a client and server to send and receive requests, fundamental to the WWW.
69
What is the main difference between HTTP and HTTPS?
HTTPS adds encryption and authentication
## Footnote
It should be used for sensitive information like passwords and bank details.
70
What is the purpose of FTP?
To send files between computers, usually on a WAN
## Footnote
FTP clients are software applications that interact with FTP protocols.
71
What does POP stand for?
Post Office Protocol
## Footnote
It receives emails and transfers them from the mail server to the device.
72
What is the function of IMAP?
Keeps emails on the mail server
## Footnote
IMAP ensures synchronization between devices.
73
What is the role of SMTP?
Sending emails
## Footnote
SMTP transfers outgoing emails between servers or from an email client to a server.
74
What is the concept of layers in networking?
Dividing complex networking tasks into smaller, simpler tasks
## Footnote
Each layer has defined responsibilities and provides services to the layer above.
75
What are the four layers of the TCP/IP protocol stack?
* Application Layer
* Transport Layer
* Networking Layer
* Link Layer
## Footnote
Each layer works together to facilitate communication on a network.
76
What does the transport layer do?
Establishes end-to-end connections and splits data into packets
## Footnote
It adds sequence numbers, total packet counts, and port numbers to packets.
77
What is malware?
Software written to infect computers and commit crimes
## Footnote
Examples include viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware, spyware, and adware.
78
What are common forms of attack in network security?
* Malware
* Social engineering
* Brute-force attacks
* Denial of service attacks
* Data interception and theft
## Footnote
Each form of attack poses different threats to computer systems.
79
What is social engineering in the context of cybersecurity?
An online fraud technique designed to trick users into giving personal information
## Footnote
This includes usernames, passwords, and credit card details.
80
What is a brute-force attack?
A trial and error method used to decode encrypted data
## Footnote
It can generate repeated password attempts to gain unauthorized access.
81
What is a denial of service attack?
Flooding a server with useless traffic to make it unavailable
## Footnote
It does not hack but makes it impossible to connect.
82
What is SQL injection?
A code injection technique used to attack data-driven applications
## Footnote
It exploits vulnerabilities in poorly coded database applications.
83
What is penetration testing?
A simulated cyberattack conducted by ethical hackers
## Footnote
Its purpose is to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in a system.
84
What is a firewall?
A network security system that filters incoming and outgoing traffic
## Footnote
It acts as a barrier to prevent unauthorized access and cyberattacks.
85
What is the purpose of anti-malware software?
To detect, prevent, and remove malicious software
## Footnote
It scans for threats like viruses, ransomware, spyware, and worms.
86
What are user access levels?
Permissions that determine user actions and information access
## Footnote
These levels enhance security by restricting sensitive data.
87
What is encryption?
The process of converting information into a code to prevent unauthorized access
## Footnote
It ensures confidentiality and integrity of data.
88
What is physical security in IT?
Protection of physical IT assets from threats
## Footnote
This includes measures like access controls, surveillance, and environmental controls.
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