Theory - NotebookLM flashcards

What are the three main components of the Von Neumann Architecture?

A processor separate from memory, with input/output mechanisms.

What is an instruction set?

The complete set of all instructions in machine code that can be recognised and executed by a particular CPU.

What are the three main functions of the Central Processing Unit (CPU)?

It contains the operation of the memory, processor and input/output; it interprets instructions; and it sends instruction signals.

The component inside the CPU used to manage the flow of data and interaction between components is the _.

Control Unit

Which component inside the CPU executes arithmetic and logic operations?

The Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU).

What is the function of the Program Counter register in the Control Unit?

It holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched.

Which register holds the address of the instruction that is currently being processed?

Memory Address Register (MAR).

The Memory Data Register (MDR) holds the data or instruction located at the address currently held in the _.

Memory Address Register (MAR)

At what point in the clock signal is the next instruction fetched during the Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle?

On the rising edge of the clock signal.

What is a core in the context of a CPU?

A processing unit within the CPU that contains an ALU, Control Unit and registers

What is cloud computing?

The use of computing resources, such as storage and applications, over the internet.

A _ cloud model involves services provided over the internet from another company.

public

What is a private cloud?

Cloud services that are managed and provided in-house for a single company.

Which cloud model integrates private and public clouds, allowing workloads to move between them?

Hybrid cloud.

What is a multi-cloud infrastructure?

An infrastructure comprising multiple vendor’s public clouds, using services from two or more major providers.

What is a significant drawback of cloud computing related to service availability?

Downtime, where services become inaccessible if internet connectivity is lost.

What is 'cloud provider lock-in'?

The difficulty and cost associated with moving an organisation's entire computing setup from one cloud provider to another.

How does USB-C's symmetric connector improve on older USB types?

It makes the connector easier to plug in as it works both ways up.

What is serial communication?

The process of sending data one bit at a time, sequentially, over a communication channel.

In synchronised serial communication, the timing of each bit is synchronised by the _____

oscillations of a clock

How does asynchronous serial communication manage data transfer without a synchronised clock?

Files are broken up into many packets which are reassembled at the receiving end.

What is parallel communication?

A method where several bits are sent at the same time on a link with several parallel channels.

Why is parallel communication faster than serial communication?

Because many bits are sent over many channels at the same time.

What is a primary use of hexadecimal numbers in networking?

Media Access Control (MAC) addresses.

For what purpose are memory dumps, which often use hexadecimal, created?

For debugging or analysing computer systems.

How are hexadecimal numbers used in web design?

They are used for HTML Colour Codes.

What is a key characteristic of high-level programming languages like Python or Java?

They are closer to natural language and easier for a human to understand.

What is machine code?

The set of instructions, represented in binary, that a CPU understands directly.

Assembly language uses short abbreviations called _ which correspond to machine code instructions.

mnemonics

What is the key characteristic of primary memory?

It is directly accessible by the processor and has fast speed with low latency.

What type of information is typically stored in Read Only Memory (ROM)?

Non-volatile start-up instructions for the computer.

Random Access Memory (RAM) is described as _ because it loses its data when the power is turned off.

volatile

Why does Dynamic RAM (DRAM) need to be constantly refreshed?

To retain data, as it uses capacitors which lose their charge.

Static RAM (SRAM) is faster than DRAM and is often used in _ memory.

cache

What is the purpose of secondary storage like an HDD or SSD?

To store data and programs that are not currently in use.

Why are Solid State Drives (SSDs) particularly suitable for mobile devices?

They have no moving parts, making them more robust and shock-resistant.

What is virtual memory?

A section of the hard drive used as temporary storage when the capacity of RAM is reached.

What is the function of a translator in programming?

To convert source code written in a programming language into machine code.

How does a compiler translate source code?

It takes the whole source code and translates it into machine code in one go, producing object code.

What is a major advantage of a compiled program regarding execution speed?

It runs quickly because it has already been translated into machine code before execution.

What is a disadvantage of compilation related to platform dependency?

Source code compiled on one platform will not run on another as the machine code is specific to the processor's architecture.

How does an interpreter translate source code?

It translates the source code into machine code one instruction at a time and executes it immediately.

What is a primary disadvantage of interpreted programs?

They run slowly as the processor must wait for each instruction to be translated before it can be executed.

What is the function of an assembler?

It translates assembly language, which uses mnemonics, into machine code.

What is the relationship between assembly instructions and machine code instructions during translation by an assembler?

An assembler creates one machine code instruction for each assembly instruction.

Why must analogue data from the real world be converted to digital for a computer to process it?

Computers cannot process infinite data values, so analogue signals are sampled and stored as discrete digital values (0s and 1s).

What do the high and low voltages in computer circuitry represent?

They are represented as the binary digits 1 and 0, respectively.

How is the denary value of the binary number 1001 calculated?

By summing the positional values: 2^3 + 2^0 = 8 + 1 = 9

Why is hexadecimal often preferred over binary for representing data?

It uses fewer digits, requires less display space, is faster to enter, and makes it easier to spot errors.

In HTML, what does the '#' symbol preceding a six-digit hexadecimal code indicate?

It indicates that a colour is being coded.

Why is hexadecimal used in low-level programming like assembly code?

It is quicker, easier, and less error-prone for programmers to type values in hex than in long binary strings.

What type of address, used to uniquely identify devices on a network, is composed of six pairs of hexadecimal digits?

A Media Access Control (MAC) address.

What is validation in the context of data entry?

An automatic check to ensure that the data entered is sensible, reasonable, and possible.

A _ check ensures that data entered is within a specified upper and lower limit.

range

What is the purpose of a presence check?

To ensure that some data has been entered into a required field.

A ____ check is used to ensure that data is entered in a specific pattern, such as a national insurance number having characters, integers, and a last character.

format

In data science, what is the purpose of pre-processing or 'cleaning' data?

To find and fix issues such as missing data values or outliers.

What is the difference between a microprocessor and a microcontroller?

A microprocessor is the brain of a general-purpose computer, while a microcontroller is a tiny, single-purpose computer for an embedded system.

Microcontrollers are often described as being 'embedded'; what does this mean?

They are placed inside another device, such as a washing machine, to control its features or actions.

A NOT logic gate has one input; if the input is 0, what is the output?

The output is 1.

For an AND gate, what is the only combination of inputs that will produce an output of 1?

Both inputs must be 1.

For an OR gate, when will the output be 0?

Only when both inputs are 0.

The _ gate produces an output of 0 only when both of its inputs are 1.

NAND

Which logic gate produces an output of 1 only when its inputs are different?

XOR (Exclusive OR).

What is simplex data transmission?

Transmission that occurs in one direction only, like from a microphone to a computer.

Half-duplex transmission allows data to be sent in both directions, but not _.

at the same time

What is full-duplex data transmission?

Transmission that allows data to be sent in both directions at the same time.

What is a network protocol?

A set of rules and standards for how data is transmitted and received over a network.

What is the purpose of a parity bit in data transmission?

It is a simple form of error checking to ensure the total number of 1s in a byte matches an agreed-upon parity (odd or even).

What is a key limitation of parity checking for error detection?

It cannot detect when an even number of errors has occurred in a byte.

What is the purpose of the Time to Live (TTL) value in a data packet?

It acts as a hop limit to prevent a packet from circulating indefinitely on a network.

The _ is the printed circuit board on which the main components of a computer are connected.

motherboard

What is the function of the address bus?

It carries memory addresses from the processor to other components.

The _ bus carries data between the processor, memory, and input/output devices.

data

What is the role of the control bus?

It sends control signals and receives response signals to coordinate all processing by the CPU.

What is overclocking?

Increasing a CPU's clock speed beyond its factory-set limit to improve performance.

How can a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) improve computer performance?

It handles the processing of images and graphics, freeing up the CPU to perform other tasks.

How many bytes are in a Kibibyte (KiB)?

1024 bytes.

What is the primary function of an operating system (OS)?

It is software that runs in the background to manage a computer's basic functions, hardware, and software.

What is an interrupt?

A signal sent to the CPU from hardware or software, requesting processor time.

What does a Graphical User Interface (GUI) use to allow user interaction?

It uses windows, icons, menus, and pointers (WIMP).

What is multi-tasking in the context of an OS?

The ability to have many programs appear to run simultaneously, often using time slicing and interrupts.

In a star network topology, what is the function of the central switch?

It manages all the traffic on the network, acting as a central connection point for all devices.

What is the difference between a MAC address and an IP address?

A MAC address is a unique, permanent hardware identifier, whereas an IP address is a logical address that identifies a device's location on a network.

What is the role of the Transport Layer (Layer 4) in the OSI model?

It is where data is broken down into packets and protocols like TCP ensure reliable, error-free connections.

What is Layer 5 of the OSI (open systems interconnection) model?

The application layer

What is a transducer?

Any device that converts a quantity from one form to another, such as a real-world signal to an electrical signal or vice versa.

An input device that converts a real-world signal like light or temperature into an electronic signal is a _.

sensor

What is an actuator?

An output transducer responsible for moving or controlling a mechanism, converting an electrical signal into physical movement.

What is the function of an Analogue to Digital Converter (ADC)?

It takes samples of a continuous analogue signal and encodes them into a discrete binary code.

What is the difference between additive and subtractive manufacturing?

Additive manufacturing builds an object layer by layer (e.g., 3D printing), while subtractive manufacturing cuts away from a solid block (e.g., laser cutting).

What is hacking?

The illegal access to a computer system to steal personal data without the owner’s consent or knowledge.

What is a computer virus?

A program or piece of code that can replicate itself with the aim of deleting or corrupting files or causing computer malfunction.

What is phishing?

The use of legitimate-looking emails to trick a user into clicking a link to a fake website to steal personal or financial details.

How does pharming differ from phishing?

Pharming involves installing malicious code that redirects a user to a fake website automatically, without the user needing to click a link in an email.

_ software gathers information by recording key presses on a user's keyboard.

Spyware/keylogging

What is a Denial of Service (DoS) attack?

An attack that disrupts a service by overwhelming a web server with an excessive number of requests, making it unavailable to legitimate users.

What is the primary function of a firewall?

To filter information going in and out of a computer or network to protect it from unauthorised access.

How does a proxy server enhance security?

It acts as an intermediary, preventing direct access to a web server and can filter traffic, mask IP addresses, and absorb attacks.

What does the 's' in 'https' signify?

It signifies that the connection is secure, typically using SSL or TLS encryption.