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50 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
system unit
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case that contains electronic components of the computer used to process data
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motherboard
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(system board) main circuit board of the system unit
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chip
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small piece of semiconduction material; usually silicon, on which integrated circuits are attached
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CPU
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(central processing unit) interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate a computer
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multi-core processor
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chip with two or more separate processor core
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control unit
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component of the processor that directs and coordinates most of the operation in the computer
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ALU
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(arithmetric logic unit) performs arithmetric, comparsion, and other operations
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system clock
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control the timing of all computer operations
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clock speed
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measured by the number of ticks per second
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gigahertz
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(GHz) equals one billion ticks of the system per second
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binary system
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number system that has just 2 unique digits, 0 and 1, called bits
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bit
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(binary digit) smallest unit at data the computer can process
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byte
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provides enough different combinations of 0s and 1s to represent 256 individual characters
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memory
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consists of electronic components that store instructions
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volatile memory
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temporary
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nonvolatile memory
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not temporary
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RAM memory
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(random access memory) consists of memory chips that can be read from and written to by the processor and other devices
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ROM memory
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(read-only memory) refers to memory chips storing permanent data and instructions
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memory module
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small circuit board
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memory slot
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motherboard hold memory modules
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cache
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processing time
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L1 cache
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built directly in the processor chip
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L2 cache
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slightly slower than L1 cache
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flash memory
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type of nonvolatile memory that can be erased electronically and rewritten
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CMOS
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provides high speeds and consumes little power
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access time
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amount of time it takes the processor to read data, instructions, and information
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nanosecond
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one billionth of a second
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expansion slot
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socket on the motherboard that can hold an adapter card
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adapter card
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circuit board that enchances functions of a component of the system and/or provides connections to periphal
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flash memory
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type of nonvolatile memory that can be erased electronically and rewritten
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peripheral
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device that connects to the system unit and is controlled by the processor in computer
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video card
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converts computer output into a video signal that travels through a cable to the monitor
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sound card
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enhances the sound-generating capabilities of a personal computer by allowing sound to be input through a microphone and output through external speakers or headphones
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hub
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device that plugs in a FireWire port on the system unit and contains multiple FireWire ports
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graphics card
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converts computer output into a video signal that travels through a cable to the monitor
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memory card
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a removable flash memory device that you insert and remove from a slot in a personal computer, game console, mobile device, or card reader/writer
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port
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point at which a periphal attaches to or communicates with a system unit so that the periphal can send data to or receive information from computer
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USB port
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(universial serial bus port) connect up to 127 different periphals together with a single connector
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FireWire port
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similar to USB port in that it can connect multiple types of devices that require faster data transmission speeds
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SCSI port
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allows you to attach SCSI periphals such as dick drives and printers
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port replicator
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an external device that provides connections to periphals through ports built into device
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docking station
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contains a power connection and provides connections to periphals
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bus
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allows the various devices both inside and attached to system unit communicate with each other
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system bus
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part of motherboard and connects the processor to main memory
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front side bus
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(FSB) part of motherboard and connects the processor to main memory
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backside bus
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(BSB) connects the processor to cache
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expansion bus
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allows the processor to communicate with periphals
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bay
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an opening inside the system unit in which you can install additional equiment
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drive bay
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rectangular opening that typically holds disk drives
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power supply
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component of the system unit that converts the wall outlet AC power into DC power
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