Exam 4: The Components of the System Unit

A(n) _________________________ is a removable flash memory device that allows users to transfer data and information conveniently from mobile devices to their desktop computers.

A(n) ____, which is contained on an integrated circuit, can act as an electronic switch that opens or closes the circuit for electrical charges.

Some RAM chips, flash memory chips, and other types of memory chips use ____ technology because it provides high speeds and consumes little power.

____ is the most common type of volatile memory.

The access time (speed) of memory has no affect on the overall performance of a computer.

Critical Thinking Questions Case 1 In your role as a consultant for people buying new computer systems, you always work hard to stay abreast of the latest RAM guidelines for the various levels of users. Another client used to just use standard application software but with the purchase of a new computer, he expects to start creating Web sites, playing Internet games, and participating in video conferences. Which of the following configurations would be a good match for his new anticipated needs?

Figure 4-1 In the machine cycle steps illustrated in Figure 4-1, ____ is the process of obtaining a program instruction or data item from memory.

The expansion bus for a PC Card is the _________________________.

Figure 4-3 Some motherboards include all necessary capabilities and do not require adapter cards like the one in Figure 4-3.

The pace of the system clock, called the _________________________, is measured by the number of ticks per second.

The USB (universal serial bus) and FireWire bus are ____.

A(n) _________________________ is an opening inside the system unit in which additional equipment can be installed.

Most processors have built-in instructions to improve the performance of multimedia and 3-D graphics.

____ is used primarily on mainframe computers and high-end servers.

Serial ports usually connect devices that require fast data transmission, such as a printer.

Memory stores ____.

On ____, the electronic components and most storage devices are part of the system unit and other devices, such as the keyboard, mouse, and monitor, normally occupy space outside the system unit.

Computers with a larger word size can process less data in the same amount of time than computers with a smaller word size.

_________________________ is the number of bits the processor can interpret and execute at a given time.

Figure 4-4 A(n) _________________________ is a device that plugs in a USB port on the system unit like the one in Figure 4-4 and contains multiple USB ports in which users plug cables from USB devices.