Chapter 1: Introduction to Personal Computer Hardware (IT Essentials 7.0)

A comprehensive set of practice flashcards covering Chapter 1 topics from IT Essentials 7.0, including PC hardware basics, safety, components, storage, mobile devices, and networking.

What does ESD stand for and why is it important in PC hardware?

Electrostatic discharge; can damage computer equipment if not discharged properly.

What electrical safety concern arises when exchanging AC adapters between different laptops or devices?

Exchanging AC adapters can cause damage to both the adapter and the laptop due to mismatched power specifications.

Name four common PC case form factors mentioned.

Horizontal case, Full-Size Tower, Compact Tower, All-in-One.

What is the primary function of a computer power supply?

To convert AC power into lower voltage DC power required by internal components.

List the desktop power supply form factors mentioned.

AT, ATX, ATX12V, EPS12V.

Give examples of connectors found on power supplies.

20-pin or 24-pin motherboard connector, SATA connector, Molex, Berg, 4-pin to 8-pin auxiliary, 6/8-pin PCIe.

What voltages are most commonly supplied by power supplies and what are their typical uses?

3.3V, 5V, and 12V; 3.3V/5V power digital circuits, 12V powers motors in HDDs and fans.

What is a ‘rail’ in a power supply?

The output path on the PSU PCB; power supplies can be single, dual, or multi-rail.

How is the motherboard described in a computer?

The backbone; a PCB with buses that interconnect CPU, RAM, expansion cards, and other components.

Name major components commonly found on a motherboard.

CPU, RAM, expansion slots, chipset, BIOS/UEFI, SATA connectors, internal USB connectors.

What are the three common motherboard form factors?

ATX, Micro-ATX, ITX.

What is the CPU’s primary role in a computer?

To interpret and execute commands; it is the central processing unit that processes instructions.

Differentiate active vs. passive cooling in computers.

Active cooling uses powered devices like fans; passive cooling relies on heat sinks or reducing component speeds and does not require active power.

What is the difference between ROM and RAM and how does RAM affect performance?

ROM stores non-volatile firmware; RAM is volatile working memory; more RAM generally improves performance but is limited by the motherboard.

List ROM types mentioned.

ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM.

List RAM types mentioned.

DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, DDR2 SDRAM, DDR3 SDRAM, DDR4 SDRAM, GDDR SDRAM.

What are memory modules and what are common module types?

Memory chips soldered into modules placed in memory slots; DIP, SIMM, DIMM, SODIMM.

What is the fastest type of memory and what is its typical use?

SRAM; commonly used as cache memory.

What are adapter cards and give examples.

Cards that add controllers or replace ports (e.g., Sound, NIC, Wireless NIC, Video, Capture, TV tuner, USB controller, eSATA).

What expansion slots are commonly used for adapter cards?

PCI, Mini-PCI, PCI-X, PCIe, Riser card, AGP.

How are storage devices categorized by media type?

Magnetic, Solid-state, Optical.

Give examples of magnetic storage devices.

Hard Disk Drive (HDD) and Tape Drive.

What SSD form factors are referenced?

Disc drive form factor (like HDD), expansion cards, and mSATA or M.2 modules.

List the three types of optical storage devices.

CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), Blu-ray Disc (BD).

Name common video ports.

DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI, Thunderbolt (1/2/3), VGA, RCA.

List other I/O ports mentioned aside from video ports.

PS/2, Audio, Network, SATA, IDE, USB.

What is the difference between an adapter and a converter?

Converter translates signals between technologies; adapter simply connects two technologies.

Name examples of adapters and converters.

DVI to VGA adapter, USB to Ethernet adapter, USB to PS/2 adapter, DVI to HDMI adapter, Molex to SATA adapter, HDMI to VGA converter.

What were the Original Input Devices listed?

Keyboard and Mouse; ADF/Flatbed Scanner; Joystick/Gamepad; KVM Switch.

List some newer input devices mentioned.

Touch screen, Stylus, Magnetic strip reader, Barcode scanner.

Name additional newer input devices noted.

Digital camera, Webcams, Signature pad, Smart card reader, Microphone.

What are the newest input devices listed?

NFC devices, facial recognition, fingerprint scanners, voice recognition, virtual reality headsets.

What are common output devices?

Monitors, projectors, VR headsets, printers, speakers, headphones.

What are the three monitor display technologies mentioned?

LCD, LED, OLED.

What display technology is commonly used by video projectors?

LCD or DLP (Digital Light Processing).

What is the role of lumens in projectors?

Lumens measure brightness of the projected image.

Differentiate VR and AR.

VR creates an immersive virtual environment; AR overlays digital content onto the real world.

What types of printers are listed?

Inkjet, impact, thermal, laser, and 3D printers.

What connectivity and driver requirements do printers have?

Printers can be wired or wireless; require printing materials (ink, toner, plastic) and a driver to communicate with the OS.

Describe laptop mobility features.

Laptops are portable, self-contained, can run full OS, and are powered by an internal battery or outlet; offer wired/wireless networking and USB/HDMI ports.

What connectivity options do laptops typically have?

Wired/wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth; USB and HDMI; docking solutions may be used for expanded capability.

Characterize smartphones in terms of OS and apps.

Smartphones run mobile operating systems with apps available from app stores; limited OS upgrades in some models.

What connectivity options do smartphones use for data and calls?

Cellular connectivity, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

What GPS-related feature do most smartphones include?

GPS functionality to determine geographic location; can act as navigational GPS via apps.

What is tethering on smartphones?

Sharing the cellular data connection with other devices.

What are tablets, and how do they differ from smartphones in terms cellular capability?

Tablets run mobile OSes, support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, often have USB/audio ports; typically do not always have cellular access, and have larger touchscreens.

What are e-readers and how do they differ from tablets?

E-readers have black-and-white e-ink displays optimized for reading; laptops/tablets focus on interactive apps and full-color displays; many use Wi-Fi but not cellular.

What are typical wearables and their capabilities?

Smartwatches and fitness trackers; include sensors, Bluetooth, GPS, and sometimes cellular; can report data to other devices.

How are AR and VR wearables described?

AR overlays digital elements onto the real world; VR provides an immersive virtual environment via headset.

Why are laptop motherboards often proprietary compared to desktop boards?

Space constraints in laptops require compact, sometimes manufacturer-specific designs; otherwise desktops use standard form factors.

What are SODIMM RAM modules and why are they used in laptops?

Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Modules; smaller form factor suitable for laptop space constraints.

What are typical laptop storage form factors mentioned?

1.8-inch or 2.5-inch drives; SSDs common for performance and power efficiency.

What is the Function (Fn) key used for on laptops?

Activates a second function on a dual-purpose key; examples include dual displays, volume, keyboard backlight, WiFi on/off, touchpad on/off, etc.

List some laptop display features discussed.

Detachable screens, touch screens with digitizers, and cutoff switches to conserve power.

What components are involved with Wi-Fi antenna systems in laptops?

Wi-Fi antenna connectors, antenna leads, and wire guides mounted near the display.

Where are webcams and microphones typically located on laptops?

Webcams are usually at the top center of the display; microphones may be next to the webcam or near the keyboard or side of the laptop.

What steps are involved in configuring Bluetooth on a laptop?

Enable in BIOS, make the device discoverable, use the Bluetooth Wizard to search for devices, pair using a PIN if required.

What is cellular WAN on laptops and how can it be enabled?

Integrated cellular capability; may require a function key or switch to enable; tethering/hotspot can share cellular data.

Why is Wi-Fi often preferred over cellular for Internet access?

Wi-Fi is usually free and uses less battery power than cellular radios.

What standard wireless technologies are mentioned for Wi-Fi?

802.11a/b/g/n/ac (and related variants) served by Mini-PCI/PCIe modules.

What cell phone hardware components are noted?

Memory, SIM card, and battery; SIM authenticates the device to providers; SD cards add memory.

What types of charging/cable connectors are used on mobile devices?

Mini-USB, USB-C, Micro-USB, and Lightning connectors.

What wireless connections besides Wi-Fi are listed for mobile devices?

NFC, Infrared (IR), Bluetooth; tethering and mobile hotspots for sharing connections.

What is a mobile hotspot?

A device that provides Internet access by sharing a cellular data connection via Wi-Fi.

What is the role of VPN in network connectivity and why is it recommended?

VPN provides encrypted connections for secure remote access over networks, especially home or public networks.