Topic 3: Computers

• Who created the stored program concept?

  Alan Turing and John von Neumann
• What was a major breakthrough of the stored program concept?

  It enabled computers to be general-purpose machines capable of carrying out various tasks.
• What does computer architecture refer to?

  The structure of a computer system and how its hardware components work together.
• What is the Von Neumann architecture?

  A computer architecture where the program and data are stored in memory.
• What is main memory also known as?

  Random Access Memory (RAM)
• What is the characteristic of volatile memory?

  It is wiped when the power is switched off.
• What is the function of the bus in a computer system?

  To transfer data between the CPU, RAM, and input/output devices.
• What does the control unit do in the CPU?

  It fetches program instructions from RAM and directs operations of other components.
• What is the purpose of the ALU in the CPU?

  To perform arithmetic and logic operations on data.
• How is clock speed measured?

  In cycles per second, with 1 hertz equal to 1 cycle per second.
• What is the typical clock speed of modern CPUs?

  Around 3 gigahertz.
• What does the control bus do?

  It carries signals between the CPU and other parts of the computer system.
• What is the function of the address bus?

  It holds the address of the memory location that the CPU will read from or write to.
• What does bus width refer to?

  The number of connections on a bus.
• What is the fetch-decode-execute cycle?

  A sequence of steps carried out repeatedly by the CPU when executing a program.
• What happens during the fetch stage of the cycle?

  The CPU places the memory address of the next instruction on the address bus.
• What does the decode stage involve?

  The control unit looks up the instruction in the CPU's instruction set.
• What occurs during the execute stage?

  The control unit coordinates the actions of other components to carry out the operation.
• What is an embedded system?

  A small computer on a chip that performs a dedicated task within a larger system.
• What are some features of embedded systems?

  • Designed for a specific task
  • Limited memory and processing power
  • Low power consumption
• Give an example of an embedded system.

  An insulin pump that monitors blood glucose levels.
• What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

  A network of physical objects that use embedded systems and wireless technology to collect and exchange data.
• What is the role of an operating system?

  It serves as an interface between hardware and other software in a computer system.
• What is process management in an operating system?

  Overseeing the execution of programs by the CPU and allocating memory and CPU time.
• What does memory management involve?

  Allocating blocks of addresses called pages when a process is loaded into memory.
• What is virtual memory?

  An area of the hard drive designated for inactive processes when memory becomes full.
• How does file management work in an operating system?

  The OS manages and keeps track of files stored on the hard drive in a hierarchical tree structure.
• What is user management in an operating system?

  Access control through user authentication via login and passwords.
• What is a graphical user interface (GUI)?

  An interface that uses icons and drop-down menus for user interaction.
• What is the purpose of peripheral management in an operating system?

  To manage external devices like printers and keyboards.
• What is secondary storage used for?

  To provide long-term storage for programs and data.
• What happens when a user opens an application?

  The application is loaded into main memory (RAM) from secondary storage.
• What is magnetic storage?

  A type of storage that uses magnetic disks to store data.
• How do hard disk drives (HDD) write data?

  By magnetizing the surface of the platter to represent binary values.
• What is optical storage?

  A storage method that uses patterns of light to store data on removable disks.
• How does data reading work in optical storage?

  A laser beam detects reflective areas (lands) and non-reflective areas (pits) to read data.
• What is solid-state storage?

  A storage type that consists of a grid of transistors.
• How does data writing work in solid-state storage?

  By applying electrical current to transistors to trap electrons in pools.
• What are programming languages?

  A set of instructions and syntax rules used to write code.
• What are low-level languages?

  Machine code and assembly language that work directly with computer hardware.