Computer Systems Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering hardware, software, architecture, and data representation from the BTEC Level 3 Computing notes.

Hardware

Physical computer components that require different hardware parts to function depending on their specific purpose.

Personal Computer (PC)

The most recognisable type of computer, including desktops and laptops, used for a wide variety of everyday tasks.

Server

A computer connected to a network that provides multiple users with shared access to files or resources.

Internal components

Hardware devices like the CPU, RAM and ROM that are built into a computer to perform basic tasks.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Also known as the processor, it is responsible for executing commands and performing all the actual computing.

Clock speed

The speed at which the processor ticks, measured in hertz ($Hz$).

Hertz ($Hz$)

The unit of measurement for a processor's clock speed.

Core

A part of the CPU capable of performing different operations at once, with multiple cores allowing for faster performance.

Read Only Memory (ROM)

Non-volatile, random access memory where data cannot be edited and is kept even if the computer is switched off.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Volatile memory used by the processor to store and load data needed for its current process.

Volatile memory

Memory that loses all its data if the computer loses power, such as RAM.

Input devices

Devices used to provide data to the computer and allow users to interact with it, such as keyboards and mice.

Output devices

Devices that act upon data given by the computer to interact with users or the environment, such as screens and printers.

Secondary storage

Non-volatile memory, like hard disks, used to store data not needed for current processes to free up space in RAM.

Magnetic Hard Disk

A storage device consisting of rigid disks with a magnetised surface where a read-write head detects or changes magnetic polarity.

Optical Disc

A storage medium including CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays that use pits and lands to represent zeros and ones.

Solid-state Drive (SSD)

Non-volatile memory made of semiconductors with no moving parts, making it random access and durable.

RAID 0

A configuration that stores different data on each disk so that multiple disks act as a single, larger drive.

RAID 1

A configuration that mirrors data across multiple disks to ensure no data is lost if one disk fails.

RAID 5

A configuration using at least three disks that stores data and recovery data across devices to protect against disk failure.

Network-attached Storage (NAS)

A server or collection of servers used to store files on a network for shared access by different users.

Operating system (OS)

A collection of software programs that acts as an interface between the user and the computer hardware.

Real-time Operating System (RTOS)

An OS designed to respond quickly to inputs as they are received, often used in safety-critical systems like self-driving cars.

Multi-tasking OS

An OS that allows the processor to quickly alternate between different processes to appear as if they are running simultaneously.

Kernel

The unseen part of the operating system responsible for controlling and managing system resources like memory and the CPU.

Interrupt signal

A signal sent by a user, program, or device to request processor time while the kernel is running background processes.

Spooling

A process used by the OS to queue a user's request while a shared resource, like a printer, is already in use.

Device drivers

Software that tells the operating system how to communicate with a specific connected peripheral device.

Firewall

A safety feature in an OS that decides which network traffic is allowed through in either direction.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A user interface that uses icons and visuals to allow users to interact with a system.

Command Line Interface (CLI)

A text-based interface where the user controls the system by typing exact text commands.

Menu-driven Interface (MDI)

An interface that presents the user with a list of possible actions and submenus.

Utility software

A set of programs operated by the user to maintain, configure, or monitor health and functionality of the system.

Application software

Software used to perform specific non-maintenance tasks such as word processing, image editing, or video playback.

Open-source software

Programs distributed with readable code that users can modify and improve.

Closed-source software

Programs distributed as executable code only, which can only be modified by the original author.

Validation

The process of checking data to make sure it is entering in the expected format and is not erroneous.

Verification

A check to ensure the user has entered the data they intended to, often by entering information twice.

Aggregation

The processing function of gathering data from several sources and compiling it into a single data store.

Data synchronisation

The process required to ensure that all copies of a data file across multiple locations are kept consistent.

Von Neumann Architecture

A stored program model where instructions are stored in the same memory store as the data.

Harvard Architecture

A stored program model that uses separate memory stores for instructions and data.

Cluster computing

A system where multiple computers are managed to work together on a single task to increase speed.

Uniform Memory Access (UMA)

A system where all processors are connected to a single central memory store with equal access time.

Non-uniform Memory Access (NUMA)

A system where each processor has its own memory store to increase speed, though sharing remains possible via connectivity.

Emulation

Running a program on a computer as if using a different, potentially incompatible system or platform.

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

The CPU component that performs arithmetic operations and logical comparisons.

Control Unit (CU)

The part of the CPU that governs hardware operation by fetching, interpreting, and executing instructions.

Clock

The processor component providing a regular pulse to regulate the rate of all computer actions.

Bus

A set of wires used to carry information between different parts of the computer in binary form.

Word size

The number of wires in a bus which limits the amount of data the bus can carry at one time.

Data bus

The specific bus used to carry the actual information being exchanged around a computer system.

Address bus

The bus that carries information about the specific memory location where data is being sent or retrieved.

Control bus

The bus that carries timing signals to regulate data flow and operations like writing to or reading from memory.

Registers

Small areas of temporary memory on the processor used to store data for executing the current operation.

Cache Memory

Fast memory built into the processor used to store frequently used data and instructions.

Instruction set

The specific set of binary data that a computer recognizes as commands.

Opcode

The part of an instruction that specifies the command to be performed.

Operand

The part of an instruction that specify the data upon which the operation should be carried out.

RISC

Reduced Instruction Set Computer; a design with a small instruction set where each operation completes in one cycle.

CISC

Complex Instruction Set Computer; a design where one instruction can perform a sequence of operations over several cycles.

Pipelining

A processor technique where fetch, decode, and execute stages of different instructions are performed on the same clock cycle.

Multi-processing

The use of multiple processors to perform different operations at the same time.

Multi-threading

A system where a single processor can perform multiple actions simultaneously via multiple threads of operation.

Overclocking

The process of increasing the clock speed of a CPU or GPU above its intended frequency for higher performance.

System on a Chip (SoC)

A single circuit that integrates all computer components, including CPU, memory, and storage.

Embedded systems

Devices such as cars or microwaves that use microcomputers to provide specific computational power.

Accumulator

A register that stores the current result of the operations performed by the Arithmetic Logic Unit.

Program Counter (PC)

A register that stores the memory location of the next instruction to be run.

Two's Complement

A binary representation for negative numbers where the most significant bit represents a negative value.