Exam 2: Computer Hardware

Which of the following slots provides a high-speed data pathway often used for graphics cards?

The speed of CD, DVD and Blu-ray drives are all measured on the same scale, based upon the original 1.2 megabits per second data transfer rate of the first CD drives.

____ is used to enhance processor performance.

A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) is a device that not only provides surge protection, but also furnishes your computer with battery backup power during a power outage.

Case-Based Critical Thinking Questions Case 2-3 An important part of a computer system is storage. James works with computers both at home and at work. He needs to move his spreadsheet and database files between the computers he uses at home and at work. He also enjoys downloading MP3 music files and takes lots of digital photos. What is the best storage medium for storing James' three databases, each of which is approximately 500 MB?

Many seasoned users have encountered the Windows ____________________, which suddenly replaces the usual graphical screen display with an enigmatic error message written in white text against a black background.

A flash drive, like the one in the accompanying figure, is a portable storage device featuring a built-in connector that plugs directly into a computer s USB port.

Currently, there are three personal computer platforms: PC, Mac, and Linux.

____ is a temporary holding area for data, application program instructions, and the operating system.

In the accompanying figure, the lighter, smooth surface areas of the CD are called ____________________.

All other things being equal, a computer with a 933 MHz processor is faster than a computer with a 2.6 GHz processor.

RAM circuitry holds "hard-wired" instructions that are a permanent part of the circuitry.

____ are the results of a series of tests used to gauge overall microprocessor speed and are useful in comparing microprocessor performance.

Which is the highest resolution? ____

____ is an example of a pointing device.

Most processors in today's personal computers use RISC technology.

A(n) ____ drive is special type of USB drive that is preconfigured to autoplay when it is inserted into a computer.

Unlike disk storage, most RAM is ____.

In the context of computing, a(n) ____ is a custom, hand-built modification to a computer system component.

A technology called ____ allows the processor to begin executing another instruction before it completes the previous instruction.