Notes- Chapter 4

Front 1

This rule of thumb describes the pace at which CPUs improve. This rule predicts that the number of transistors inside a CPU will increase so fast that CPU capacity will double every 18 months.

Back 1

Moore's Law

Front 2

Helps determine how fast it can process data.

Back 2

The number of transistors on a CPU chip

Front 3

the most common form of memory -found on personal computers—increases about 60 percent every year.

Back 3

Dynamic random access memory
(DRAM)

Front 4

Subsystems included in a system evaluation

Back 4

• CPU subsystem,
• memory subsystem (the computer’s random access memory, or RAM),
• storage subsystem (hard drive and other drives),
• video subsystem (video card and monitor),
• audio subsystem (sound card and speakers), and
• computer ports.

Front 5

Advantages of a Notebook

Back 5

- portable
- take up less physical space
- easy to ship/ transport if system needs repair

Front 6

Advantages of Desktops

Back 6

- best value: more speed, memory, storage capacity for lower price
- more difficult to steal, less susceptible to damage from dropping/mishandling
- easier to expand &upgrade

Front 7

It coordinates the activities of all the other computer components.

Back 7

Control unit

Front 8

Responsible for performing all arithmetic calculations & makes logic and comparison decisions

Back 8

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

Front 9

Series of steps that the CPU goes through to perform a program instruction

Back 9

Machine cycle

Front 10

The steady and constant speed of the machine cycle is known as:

Back 10

Clock speed

Front 11

CPU, of current systems, are measured in units of :

Back 11

Gigahertz

(older systems: megahertz)

Front 12

It connects the processor (CPU) in computer to the system memory

Back 12

Front side bus (FSB)

(FSB like a highway on which data travels btwn CPU and RAM. Faster the FSB, the faster the data can get to the processor)

Front 13

Form of random access memory that is more accessible and faster than regular RAM

Back 13

Cache memory

Front 14

Block of memory built onto the CPU chip for storage of data or commands that have just been used

Back 14

LEVEL 1 Cache

Front 15

Block of memory located on CPU chip but slightly farther away from CPU, or on a separate chip next to CPU

Back 15

LEVEL 2 Cache

Front 16

Which block of memory has more storage area?
a. level 1
b. level 2

Back 16

B

Front 17

Path in which Intel CPU's can work in parallel, processing two separate programs at the same time instead of switching back and forth between them

Back 17

DUAL path processors for data
(dual core processors)

Front 18

Instead of Task Manager, Mac OS X has a similar utility known as:

Back 18

Activity Monitor

Front 19

Enables you to migrate files and settings from windows xp to windows vista via a network connection by using flash drive or external hard drive, or optical media

Back 19

Easy transfer companion(from windows vista)

Front 20

The small circuit boards that hold a series of RAM chips & fit into special slots on the motherboard

Back 20

memory modules (or memory cards)

Front 21

Rather than System properties, Mac has :

Back 21

About This Mac (from the Apple menu)

Front 22

the absolute minimum amount of RAm that your computer can run on:

Back 22

kernel memory ( because of additional applications, you will need more than the minimum of course)

Front 23

Term used to say that the system is limited in how fast it can send data to CPU because there's not enough memory

Back 23

Memory bound

Front 24

When the OS is using virtual memory to store data, it creates a file -which allows the system to run more applications that can actually fit in RAM- known as

Back 24

Page file

Front 25

What is the hard drive composed of ?

Back 25

Several coated platters ( round, thin plates of metal) stacked onto a spindle

Front 26

what is created when data is saved on the hard drive platter?

Back 26

Magnetized spots ( iron oxide coating) - tracks and sectors

Front 27

Hard drive that uses thinner cables and transfers data more quickly than older types

Back 27

Serial ATA ( advanced technology attachment)- graphic designers and software developers benefit from it

Front 28

Access time is measured in

Back 28

milliseconds

Front 29

Portable non-Volatile storage device also known as thumb or jump drive

Back 29

Flash drive

Front 30

Format for read-only optical discs

Back 30

CD- ROM, DVD-ROM or BD-ROM

Front 31

Recordable formats for optical discs

Back 31

CD-R, DVD-R, BD-R

Front 32

Read/writeable format for optical disks

Back 32

CD-RW, dvd-rw, bd-rw

Front 33

For CDs, the X after each number
represents the transfer rate of :

Back 33

150 kB per second

Front 34

a 1X DVD-ROM drive
provides a data transfer rate of approximately

Back 34

1.3MBof data per second

Front 35

Blu-ray technology defines 1X speed as

Back 35

36 MB
per second.

Front 36

This external hard drive offers extra storage up to

Back 36

1TB

Front 37

Why do some subsystems have their own fan?

Back 37

To remove heat

Front 38

The number of bits the video card
uses to represent each pixel (or dot) on the monitor, is referred to as

Back 38

bit depth

Front 39

the standard proportion in width to height for a computer monitor

Back 39

aspect ratio

Front 40

Allows you to see more
on your screen.

Back 40

screen resolution

Front 41

a special type of speaker designed to more faithfully reproduce low frequency sounds.

Back 41

subwoofer

Front 42

a device that connects to one port, such as a USB port

Back 42

An expansion hub