Flashcards
ICT Theory Flashcards!
Cards in this deck (35)
- 1What is hardware? Give an example.Hardware is the physical parts of the computer system – the parts that you can touch and see.
A motherboard, a CPU, a keyboard and a monitor are all items of hardware. - 2What is software? Give an example.Software is a collection of instructions that can be ‘run’ on a computer. These instructions tell the computer what to do.
Software is not a physical thing.
Windows 7, Linux, Mac OS X - 3What is a CPU?The CPU is the 'brain' of the computer. It is the device that carries out software instructions.
- 4What is RAM?Random Access Memory (RAM) is the part of the computer that temporarily stores the instructions that the computer is running, and the data it is processing.
RAM is a volatile storage device. This means that if the computer’s power is turned off the contents of RAM disappear and are lost. - 5What is ROM?Read-Only Memory (ROM) is used in most computers to hold a small, special piece of software. This software runs when the computer is switched on or 'boots up'. The software checks the computer’s hardware and then loads the operating system.
ROM is non-volatile storage. - 6What Are Input Devices? Give an example and why.Devices that pass data into the computer are known as input devices. Keyboards, mouse, webcam. They pass information into a computer, like typing on your keyboard into a word document.
- 7What Are Output Devices? Give an example and why.Devices that take data from the computer are known as output devices. A monitor, a printer and a loudspeaker are all examples of output devices. A printer because it converts data from a word document into a physical copy, that is printed.
- 8What is a Mainframe Computer? Give pros and cons.A mainframe computer is a large computer, often used by large businesses, in government offices, or by universities. It's very powerful and can hold a lot of data but takes up a lot of space.
- 9What is a Magnetic Strip Reader?Many plastic cards, such as credit cards, have a strip of material that can be magnetised on the back. Data can be stored here in the form of magnetised dots. The stripe allows this data to be input to a computer system faster and more accurately than by typing it in.
- 10What is a MICR Reader?Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) is a technology that allows details from bank cheques to be read into a computer quickly and accurately.
- 11What is a OMR Scanner?Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) is a technology that allows the data from a multiple-choice type form to be read quickly and accurately into a computer.
Common uses of OMR are multiple-choice exam answer sheets and lottery number forms. - 12What is a OCR Scanner?Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a software technology that can convert images of text into an actual text file that can then be edited (e.g. using word-processing software). The result is just as if the text had been typed in by hand.
- 13What is a Dot Matrix Printer?A dot-matrix printer is named after the pattern (a grid or ‘matrix’) of dots used when creating the paper printout.
These dots are formed by tiny pins in the printer’s print head that hit an inked ribbon against the paper leaving marks. As the print head moves along it leaves a pattern of dots behind it which can form letters, images, etc.
Dot-matrix print quality is poor, the printers are noisy, and there are much better printing systems available today. However, the dot-matrix printers are still used in certain situations: - 14Why would you use a network?Easily share files and data
•Share resources such as printers and Internet connections
•Communicate with other network users (e-mail, instant messaging, video-conferencing, etc.)
•Store data centrally (using a file server) for ease of access and back-up - 15Why wouldn't you use a network?The computer is vulnerable to hackers
•If the network breaks, many tasks become very difficult
•Your computer can more easily be attacked by a virus - 16What is a Local Area Network (LAN)?A Local Area Network is a network confined to one building or site.
Often a LAN is a private network belonging to an organisation or business. Because LANs are geographically small, they usually use cables or low-power radio (wireless) for the connections. - 17What is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)?A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a LAN that uses radio signals (WiFi) to connect computers instead of cables.
It is much more convenient to use wireless connections instead of running long wires all over a building. However, WLANs are more difficult to make secure since other people can also try to connect to the wireless network. So, it is very important to have a good, hard-to-guess password for the WLAN connections. - 18What is Numeric Data?Numeric data simply means numbers.
- 19What is Boolean (Logical) Data?Boolean data is sometimes called 'logical' data (or in some software, 'yes/no' data). Boolean data can only have two values: TRUE or FALSE
- 20What is a Microprocessor?A microprocessor is a small CPU built into a single 'chip'.
Some devices help to make our lives easier which use microprocessors. (labour-saving devices):
•Programmable microwave ovens
•Programmable washing machines
•Home security systems
•Mobile telephones - 21Name some health effects of ICT and how to solve them.Eye-Strain = Take regular breaks or anti-glare filter
Back and Neck Ache= Take regular breaks: get up, walk around, stretch your muscles
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)= Use a wrist-rest to support the wrists while typing and when using the mouse. - 22Name some Safety Issues with ICT and how to solve them.Trailing Cables, can make people trip= Place cables inside cable ducts, or under the carpet / flooring
Spilt Drinks
or Food can result in damaged equipment and shocks = Keep drinks and food away from computers
Overloaded
Power Sockets can make a socket overheat= Never plug too many cables into a socket.
Heavy Objects
Falling= Sturdy table :) - 23Name three types of processingBatch, Online and Real-time
- 24What is batch processing?Where a number of similar jobs or tasks (data) is collected together and processed by a computer all at once.
- 25Name the uses of batch processing-Producing bills
-Payroll
-Stock control
-Producing monthly credit card statements
-Processing bank cheques
-Marking multiple choice exam papers - 26What are the advantages of batch processing?Jobs can be processed without a human present and large types of data can be processed overnight while the employees have left
- 27What are the disadvantages of batch processing?Batching data can take a long time to process and complete.
- 28What is online processing?Where a user communicates directly with a computer system. When the user makes a change to the data, it will automatically update. Such as at music concerts, seat tickets need to be constantly updated to show how many seats are left to the user.
- 29Name how online processing is used-Booking systems (Airlines, cinema, concerts)
-ATM's (How much money is left in your account
-Purchasing goods online (Amazon, checking how much is in stock) - 30What are the advantages of online processing?Processing is carried out automatically with no need for human supervision or intervention
- 31What are the disadvantages of online processing?Need security against viruses and hackers. (Especially for online booking systems).
- 32What is real-time processing?A bit like online processing in the sense that it will automatically update it's data as changes are made. The difference is that real-time processing will often use sensors rather than human input in order to obtain its data.
It's used with control systems. - 33How is real-time processing used?-Warning systems on aircraft
-Guiding missiles to their target (coordinates)
-Automatic greenhouses
-Burglar alarms
-Alarm systems in hazardous zones (power stations)
-Flood warning systems - 34What is an advantage of real-time processing?Can carry out jobs humans are unable to. (Monitoring radiation)
- 35What is a disadvantage of real-time processing?Expensive to buy and system failure is critical and can cost lives. (Fault airplane warning system)
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- B ICT Flashcards on ICT Theory Flashcards!, created by Mildreder on 22/04/2016.
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