Fundamentals of Computer Science - Peripheral Devices

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to encoding, peripheral devices, and their functions in computer science.

Encoding

The process of representing data in a specific format or character set for efficient transmission and storage.

ASCII

A character encoding standard that uses numeric codes to represent characters; it supports 128 characters including letters, digits, and symbols.

Base32

An encoding scheme that represents binary data using a set of 32 characters, typically uppercase letters A-Z and digits 2-7.

Base64

An encoding scheme that converts binary data into ASCII string format using 64 characters, used to safely embed data in text.

Peripheral Device

An auxiliary device that connects to a host computer and expands its capabilities, such as input, output, storage, or communication.

Input Device

A device used to input data into a computer, such as a keyboard, mouse, or touchpad.

Output Device

A device that outputs information from a computer, such as a monitor, printer, or speakers.

Solid State Drive (SSD)

A type of storage device that uses flash memory to provide faster data access and better durability without moving parts.

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

A traditional storage device that uses spinning disks to store data magnetically and has moving components.

Optical Disk

A storage medium such as CD or DVD that uses laser technology to read and write data.

Modem

A device that modulates and demodulates signals for data transmission over telephone lines or cable.

Router

A device that forwards data packets between computer networks and directs traffic on the internet.

Error Detection Code

A method used to detect errors in data transmission, often involving checksums to verify the integrity of data packets.

Synchronous Communication

A method of data transmission where data is sent in a continuous stream, with timing fixed for the sender and receiver.

Asynchronous Communication

A method of data transmission where data is sent one packet at a time without a fixed timeline, requiring the receiver to detect new packets.

Checksum

A value calculated from data to verify its integrity during transmission by comparing the sender and receiver results.