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Questions and Answers
Which term describes a programmable computing device that can process, store, and retrieve data?
Which term describes a programmable computing device that can process, store, and retrieve data?
- Smartphone
- Computer (correct)
- Router
- Tablet
What is processed according to the software's instructions or commands?
What is processed according to the software's instructions or commands?
- Computer Data (correct)
- Hardware
- User Input
- Network Traffic
What word originates as a term referring to someone who manually carried out calculations instead of a machine?
What word originates as a term referring to someone who manually carried out calculations instead of a machine?
- Calculator
- Mathematician
- Computer (correct)
- Statistician
Large machines consisting of thousands of vacuum tubes were part of the early digital computers built in which period?
Large machines consisting of thousands of vacuum tubes were part of the early digital computers built in which period?
What is a sequential device that operates on data one at a time, with the data represented in binary format and a single transistor used to symbolize a binary digit?
What is a sequential device that operates on data one at a time, with the data represented in binary format and a single transistor used to symbolize a binary digit?
The representation of data reflects properties of the data being modeled in an ______.
The representation of data reflects properties of the data being modeled in an ______.
Which type of computer represents data and numbers using physical quantities such as electric voltage and uses a stream of binary digits to represent them?
Which type of computer represents data and numbers using physical quantities such as electric voltage and uses a stream of binary digits to represent them?
Who did the early foundational work on analog computation?
Who did the early foundational work on analog computation?
When was the foundational work on analog computation made?
When was the foundational work on analog computation made?
What parts did James Thomson use for the analog device?
What parts did James Thomson use for the analog device?
Who did James Thomson work with to create a device that integrates the product of two functions?
Who did James Thomson work with to create a device that integrates the product of two functions?
What did william thomson create in the 1960s?
What did william thomson create in the 1960s?
Where was the tide predicting machine used?
Where was the tide predicting machine used?
Who developed the first large-scale, general-purpose analog machine called the differential analyzer?
Who developed the first large-scale, general-purpose analog machine called the differential analyzer?
What is the name of the machine that allows integration and differential equations problems to be quickly solved, containing wheels, discs, shafts, and gears to execute calculations, weighing 100 tons and containing up to 150 motors?
What is the name of the machine that allows integration and differential equations problems to be quickly solved, containing wheels, discs, shafts, and gears to execute calculations, weighing 100 tons and containing up to 150 motors?
When was the use of analog computers mostly phased out?
When was the use of analog computers mostly phased out?
Which devices depended on the flow of electric current through a vacuum and were widely used in electronic devices such as televisions and computers until the invention of transistors?
Which devices depended on the flow of electric current through a vacuum and were widely used in electronic devices such as televisions and computers until the invention of transistors?
What is described as a generation of bulky parts with several racks taking up an entire room and consisting of a three-terminal device with a cathode, grid, and plate?
What is described as a generation of bulky parts with several racks taking up an entire room and consisting of a three-terminal device with a cathode, grid, and plate?
The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), Colossus, Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), Universal Automatic Computer I (UNIVAC I), Whirlwind, and the IBM 701 are examples of what type of digital computer?
The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), Colossus, Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), Universal Automatic Computer I (UNIVAC I), Whirlwind, and the IBM 701 are examples of what type of digital computer?
What is the fundamental building block in modern electronic systems for revolutionizing the field of electronics?
What is the fundamental building block in modern electronic systems for revolutionizing the field of electronics?
Which technology was much smaller, cheaper, and more reliable based on functionality compared to its predecessor?
Which technology was much smaller, cheaper, and more reliable based on functionality compared to its predecessor?
Which of the following is a three terminal solid state electronic device that can control electronic current or voltage between two terminals?
Which of the following is a three terminal solid state electronic device that can control electronic current or voltage between two terminals?
What component allows an electronic switch to be created, which can be controlled by another electric switch?
What component allows an electronic switch to be created, which can be controlled by another electric switch?
at which university the transistor was most evidently experimented by
at which university the transistor was most evidently experimented by
What did the experiments at the University of Manchester regarding transistors result in?
What did the experiments at the University of Manchester regarding transistors result in?
Who invented the integrated circuit?
Who invented the integrated circuit?
Where did Jack Kilby work?
Where did Jack Kilby work?
What term describes a set of electronic circuits on a small chip of semiconductor material smaller than circuits made of independent components?
What term describes a set of electronic circuits on a small chip of semiconductor material smaller than circuits made of independent components?
What technology enabled users to interact with computers using keyboards and monitors interfaced with an operating system?
What technology enabled users to interact with computers using keyboards and monitors interfaced with an operating system?
What is the world's first microprocessor?
What is the world's first microprocessor?
What was the first semiconductor device that provided the functions of a computer at a chip level, including the arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) and the control unit?
What was the first semiconductor device that provided the functions of a computer at a chip level, including the arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) and the control unit?
What is the physical part of the machine called?
What is the physical part of the machine called?
What is a set of instructions that commands the computer what to do?
What is a set of instructions that commands the computer what to do?
Which component responds to the instructions it receives from users, taking user commands in the form of data and converting them into a digital language format sent to the processing unit?
Which component responds to the instructions it receives from users, taking user commands in the form of data and converting them into a digital language format sent to the processing unit?
Keyboard, mouse, scanner, joystick, and trackball are examples of:
Keyboard, mouse, scanner, joystick, and trackball are examples of:
Which unit converts human language commands into machine language for computers to interpret before execution?
Which unit converts human language commands into machine language for computers to interpret before execution?
Which of the following are the main components of the CPU? (Select all that apply)
Which of the following are the main components of the CPU? (Select all that apply)
What is the name of the unit that makes all information available, uses bits and bytes (8 bits) to measure data size, and is responsible for storing data from input devices and the result data from output devices?
What is the name of the unit that makes all information available, uses bits and bytes (8 bits) to measure data size, and is responsible for storing data from input devices and the result data from output devices?
Which component manages the computer device functions and is the central component of the CPU?
Which component manages the computer device functions and is the central component of the CPU?
Which component of a computer processes data for execution and converts human language to machine language before sending signals to the output unit?
Which component of a computer processes data for execution and converts human language to machine language before sending signals to the output unit?
Which unit maintains a data flow inside the system and transfers the commands to the arithmetic-logic unit?
Which unit maintains a data flow inside the system and transfers the commands to the arithmetic-logic unit?
Which processor component is responsible for mathematical calculations as well as data comparison and decision-making?
Which processor component is responsible for mathematical calculations as well as data comparison and decision-making?
What computing component has features to accomplish different mathematical solutions like addition, subtraction, and multiplication, but only performs the calculation when necessary and then sends it to the output unit?
What computing component has features to accomplish different mathematical solutions like addition, subtraction, and multiplication, but only performs the calculation when necessary and then sends it to the output unit?
When the input and central processing unit processes are accomplished, the data is fed to this unit, where the result is shown. These devices always connect to the system, thus making coordination easier. What is this unit called?
When the input and central processing unit processes are accomplished, the data is fed to this unit, where the result is shown. These devices always connect to the system, thus making coordination easier. What is this unit called?
What is described as a collection of software programs and commands that control computer hardware to make it usable, allowing the computing power of the hardware to be available to users and managing hardware for good system performance?
What is described as a collection of software programs and commands that control computer hardware to make it usable, allowing the computing power of the hardware to be available to users and managing hardware for good system performance?
Which system handles hardware such as the processors, input/output devices, communication devices, and data, and provides functionality, including hardware sharing, error recovery, and network communication management?
Which system handles hardware such as the processors, input/output devices, communication devices, and data, and provides functionality, including hardware sharing, error recovery, and network communication management?
allow users to hide details of hardware by creating an ________
allow users to hide details of hardware by creating an ________
offer an environment where users
may execute programs or applications
offer an environment where users may execute programs or applications
Which term provides the computer system with an easy-to-use format for resources?
Which term provides the computer system with an easy-to-use format for resources?
Users may lose all the contents stored in the
computer system whenever an issue occurs.
Users may lose all the contents stored in the computer system whenever an issue occurs.
OS software is costly for small organizations,
which can cause an additional financial burden.
OS software is costly for small organizations, which can cause an additional financial burden.
It is never secure, as threats can happen
anytime.
It is never secure, as threats can happen anytime.
Study Notes
Computer Basics
- Computer: A programmable computing device that processes, stores, and retrieves data. Data processing occurs according to software instructions or commands.
- Computer Scientist: Originated as a term referring to someone who manually performed calculations instead of a machine.
- Vacuum Tubes: Large machines containing thousands of vacuum tubes were part of early digital computers built in the 1940s and 1950s.
- Transistor: A sequential device operating on data one at a time, representing data in binary format. Each transistor symbolizes a binary digit.
- Analog Representation of data reflects properties of the data being modeled, using physical quantities like electric voltage.
- Analog Computer: Represents data and numbers using physical quantities like electric voltage, using a stream of binary digits.
- Analog Computation: Early foundational work by Lord Kelvin (formerly William Thomson) in 1872.
- James Thomson used parts like gears, shafts, and wheels for his analog device. He worked with William Thomson to create a device integrating two functions' products.
- William Thomson created the Tide Predicting Machine in the 1960s, used to predict tides for the British Admiralty.
- Vannevar Bush: The first large-scale, general-purpose analog machine, called the Differential Analyzer, was developed by him.
- Differential Analyzer: A machine enabling rapid solutions for integration and differential equations problems. It contains wheels, discs, shafts, and gears for calculations, weighs 100 tons, and has up to 150 motors.
From Vacuum Tubes to Transistors
- Analog Computers: Mostly phased out in the 1960s and replaced by digital computers.
- Vacuum Tubes: Depended on electric current flowing through a vacuum, widely used until the invention of transistors.
- First Generation Computers: Bulky parts with several racks occupying an entire room. Had three-terminal devices consisting of a cathode, grid, and plate.
- First Generation Digital Computers: Examples include Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), Colossus, Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), Universal Automatic Computer I (UNIVAC I), Whirlwind, and IBM 701.
- Transistor: Revolutionized electronics, serving as the fundamental building block in modern electronic systems.
- Smaller, Cheaper, More Reliable: The transistor was much smaller, cheaper, and more reliable than its predecessor.
- Transistor as a Switch: A three-terminal solid-state electronic device controlling electronic current or voltage between two terminals.
- University of Manchester: Intensive transistor experimentation resulted in the invention of the transistorized computer.
- Integrated Circuit (IC): Invented by Jack Kilby at Texas Instruments in 1958.
The Rise of the Integrated Circuit
- Integrated Circuit (IC): A set of electronic circuits on a small chip of semiconductor material, smaller than circuits made of independent components.
- The Invention of the Microprocessor: Enabled user interaction via keyboards and monitors connected to an operating system.
- Intel 4004: The world's first microprocessor.
- The Microprocessor (4004): The first semiconductor device providing computer functionality at a chip level, including the arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) and control unit.
Computer Components
- Hardware: The physical part of a computer.
- Software: A set of instructions telling the computer what to do.
- Input Unit: Responds to user commands by taking user commands in the form of data and converting them into a digital language format sent to the processing unit.
- Input Devices: Examples are a keyboard, mouse, scanner, joystick, and trackball.
- Central Processing Unit (CPU): Converts human language commands into machine language for computer interpretation.
- CPU Components:
- Control Unit: Manages the computer’s device functions and is the central component of the CPU.
- Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): Processes data for execution and converts human language to machine language before sending signals to the output unit.
- Memory Unit: Makes all information available, uses bits and bytes (8 bits) to measure data size, and is responsible for storing data from input devices and the result data from output devices.
- Control Unit Maintains data flow inside the system and transfers commands to the ALU.
- Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): Responsible for mathematical calculations, data comparison, and decision-making. It has features for addition, subtraction, and multiplication but performs calculations only when necessary, then sends them to the output unit.
- Output Unit: Data is fed to this unit after processing by the input and central processing unit. The output unit then displays the result.
- Output Devices: These devices are always connected to the system, making coordination easier.
- Operating System (OS): A collection of software programs and commands controlling computer hardware for user usability. The OS manages hardware for good system performance.
Operating Systems
- OS Software: Handles hardware such as processors, input/output devices, communication devices, and data. It provides functionality, including hardware sharing, error recovery, and network communication management.
- OS Software Allows users to hide hardware details by creating an abstraction layer, offering an environment where users may execute programs or applications.
- Abstraction Layer: Provides the computer system with an easy-to-use format for resources.
Disadvantages of Operating Systems
- Users may lose all the contents stored in the computer system whenever an issue occurs.
- OS software can be costly for small organizations, causing an additional financial burden.
- OS software is not inherently secure, as threats can happen at any time.
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Description
This quiz explores fundamental concepts in computing, including the definition and functions of programmable devices. Test your knowledge on how these devices process, store, and retrieve data efficiently.
