Paper 1

• What are the main components of a computer system?

  Hardware, software, and data
• How do hardware, software, and data work together in a computer system?

  They collaborate to perform tasks and process information
• What does hardware include in a computer system?

  The physical components like the CPU, memory, and input/output devices
• What is the role of software in a computer system?

  It provides instructions that direct the hardware to carry out tasks
• What is the function of an operating system?

  It controls the overall operation of a computer
• What is a process in computing?

  An instance of a program in execution
• What resources does a process need to execute?

  CPU time, memory, and files
• What is multithreading in computing?

  It allows a computer to perform many different tasks at the same time
• What is parallel processing?

  It is when many processors perform operations at the same time
• How is the speed of a processor measured?

  In gigahertz (GHz)
• What does the power of a processor refer to?

  The number of cores it has
• What is the CPU considered in a computer system?

  The brain of the computer
• What is clock speed in relation to the CPU?

  The speed at which the CPU processes data
• What type of memory is volatile?

  RAM
• What happens to volatile memory when power is lost?

  The data is no longer accessible
• What type of memory is non-volatile?

  Hard drive or flash memory
• What is the function of the motherboard?

  It houses the CPU, memory, and input/output device connections
• What is system software?

  Software that coordinates and controls hardware functions
• What is application software used for?

  To enable users to complete tasks like word processing or web browsing
• What does a compiler do?

  Translates the entire code of a program into machine code in one go
• How does an interpreter differ from a compiler?

  An interpreter translates code line by line, executing each line as it goes
• What are low-level programming languages?

  Languages like assembler that are closer to machine code
• What are high-level programming languages?

  Languages like Python or Java that are closer to human language
• What are networks in computing?

  Systems of interconnected computers that can send and share data
• What is a Local Area Network (LAN)?

  A network that connects computers in a small geographical area
• What is a Wide Area Network (WAN)?

  A network that covers a large geographical area, often made up of interconnected LANs
• What are protocols in networking?

  Sets of rules that dictate how data should be transmitted across networks
• What does HTTP stand for?

  Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
• What is a data type in computing?

  A classification of data such as integer, character, or Boolean values
• What is a data structure?

  A specialized format for organizing and storing data, like arrays, stacks, and queues
• What is an algorithm?

  A set of instructions for solving a particular problem
• How can an algorithm be represented?

  With pseudocode or a flowchart
• What are the legal, moral, cultural, and ethical issues in computing?

  • Data protection
  • Integrity
  • Accessibility
  • Intellectual property
• What is the CPU often referred to as in a computer system?

  The 'brain' of a computer system
• What are the two main tasks performed by the CPU?

  Executing program instructions and managing hardware resources
• What is given to every instruction that a CPU understands?

  A unique instruction code
• How is the speed at which the CPU processes data measured?

  In gigahertz (GHz)
• What is the function of the Control Unit in the CPU?

  It controls and monitors the operations of the hardware
• What does the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) do?

  It performs arithmetic and logical operations
• What are registers in the context of a CPU?

  Small storage areas that hold data currently being processed