Edexcel-IAL-IT-Topic1-Hardware_and_Software-Part.1

These flashcards provide definitions for key technical terms related to hardware and software features, functions, and connectivity as discussed in Topic 1.

What is a device?

An electronic piece of technology.

What is a feature of a device?

A feature is simply a distinctive part or characteristic of a device such as its size or colour. It can also be: a touchscreen, a metal case, buttons on the side, a charging port, a camera, a fingerprint scanner.

What is a function of a device?

A way in which a device can be used, including its main purpose and other uses. It can include: portability, performance, storage, user interface, connectivity, media support, energy consumption, expansion capability, security features.

What is hardware?

The physical parts of a device, both internal and external, that you can see and touch.

What is portability?

Portability is how easy it is to carry a device around from one place to another.

What is performance?

How well a device performs its intended purpose, such as how quickly it opens applications.

What is application?

Software that is designed to perform a specific task.

What is data?

Text, values, symbols, images and sound in their raw form.

What is storage?

A piece of hardware that is used to store data.

What is data mining?

The process of analysing large databases to find patterns and trends.

What is magnetic storage?

A type of storage device that uses electromagnets to store data and contains moving parts.

What is solid-state storage?

A type of storage device that stores data on silicon chips and has no moving parts.

RAID (redundant array of independent disks)

When multiple storage devices (mostly HDDs or SSDs) are combined to act like they are a single larger storage device.

what is RAID 0?

A type of RAID storage used for increasing the performance of computers.

What is RAID 1?

A type of RAID storage used for protecting data by creating a mirror of the first storage device on all other devices in the setup.

What is a supercomputer?

A computer with a very high level of performance that often uses RAID storage.

What is user interface?

The part of a device that a person uses to interact with the device, such as buttons or icons.

What is connectivity?

The ability to connect devices to other devices.

What is wired connection?

A method of connecting devices using cables and physical ports.

What is wireless connection?

A method of connecting devices using radio waves.

What is a port?

A connection point in a device that a cable is plugged into.

What is a wireless network interface card (WNIC)?

A piece of hardware in a device that allows it to connect to a wireless network.

What is a Bluetooth chip?

A piece of hardware in a device that allows it to have a Bluetooth connection.

What is near field communication (NFC)?

A secure method of wireless encryption used to allow two devices to communicate in very close proximity.

What is USB-C?

The most recent version of USB cables designed to be universal for all devices, providing standard power and transmission speed.

What is storage media?

The type of storage that can be used for a device, such as memory card slots or USB ports.

What is energy consumption?

The amount of electricity used by a device.

What is expansion capacity?

The ability to add parts to a device, such as adding more storage space.

What is biological data?

Data that belongs to a human, such as a fingerprint, an iris, facial features or voice.

What is biometric device?

A type of security device that uses biological data as a form of password.

What is global positioning system (GPS)?

A satellite-based navigation system used to pinpoint location and provide directions.