AP computer science vocab 1

Logic board/ mother board

The electronic system in a computer that holds all the parts together. Helps send and process information (mouse,keyboard,& drives) input and output

CPU (central processing unit)

Executed instructions and calculations (completion of tasks). Helps direct and answer logical instructions. Processing

Operating system (OS)

Coordinates tasks for other hardware. A bridge in between hardware and the user input. Processing

RAM (memory)

Holds onto TEMPORARY data held by the electrical flow of the device. Storage

HDD and SSD (ROM)

Holds onto LONG TERM memory retained within the hardware directly. Storage

Optical disk drive

A component that reads physical media entering the system. User laser optics to burn data in order for it to be read or written. Input/ data

Monitor/ display

Displays visual information (computer graphics). Converts electronic signals into visual images / graphics. Output

GPU (graphics processing unit)

Creation of the images built for display. Electronic circuit that rapidly manipulates the color signals that reach the display. Processing

Sound card

The conversion of audio signals. Uses specialized microchips and physical parts to process audio signals. Processing

Speakers

Produced audible audio. Turns electrical audio signals into audible sound waves. Output

Keyboard

Displays a text, number, or command. Used a grid of electrical circuits that detect when you press a key and send a code to the computer to display a specific piece of data. Input

Mouse

Controls the cursor or a pointer displayed on the program’s graphics. The user manipulates the cursor to control interactions that processes into the system. Input

Gigabyte (GB)

A unit of measurement for digital informations storage capacity

Gigahertz (GHz)

A unit of frequency that equals to a billion cycles per second

GHz

a unit of frequency equal to one billion hertz (cycles per second)

NIT

a unit of measurement that describes the brightnes of a display screen.

Computational thinking

a problem-solving process that involves breaking down complex challenges into manageable steps and designing solutions that humans or computers can execute

Computed criteria

the specific rules, conditions, or standards used to evaluate, filter, select, or run software, hardware, and data