OCR GCSE Computer Science Paper 1 Master Cheat Sheet

Comprehensive fill-in-the-blank practice flashcards covering all key terms, definitions, architectures, networks, security principles, and legislation from the OCR GCSE Computer Science Paper 1 Master Cheat Sheet.

The __________ holds the memory address of the next instruction to be fetched from RAM.

Program Counter (PC)

The Program Counter (PC) holds the memory address of the next instruction to be fetched from __________.

RAM

The Program Counter (PC) holds the __________ of the next instruction to be fetched from RAM.

memory address

The __________ holds the memory address of the current instruction or data being fetched or written.

Memory Address Register (MAR)

The abbreviation MAR stands for __________.

Memory Address Register

The Memory Address Register (MAR) holds the memory address of the current instruction or data being __________.

fetched or written

The __________ holds the actual data or instruction that has just been fetched from, or is about to be written to, RAM.

Memory Data Register (MDR)

The abbreviation MDR stands for __________.

Memory Data Register

The Memory Data Register (MDR) holds the actual data or instruction that has just been fetched from, or is about to be written to, __________.

RAM

The __________ stores the immediate mathematical or logical results of calculations from the ALU.

Accumulator (ACC)

The Accumulator (ACC) stores the immediate mathematical or logical results of calculations from the __________.

ALU

The abbreviation ACC stands for __________.

Accumulator

The acronym ALU stands for __________.

Arithmetic Logic Unit

Inside the CPU, the __________ performs all mathematical calculations (+, -, *, /) and logical decisions (AND, OR, NOT).

ALU

The logical decisions performed by the ALU inside the CPU are __________.

AND, OR, NOT

The acronym CU stands for __________.

Control Unit

The __________ coordinates all the CPU’s activities and manages the Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle using control signals.

Control Unit (CU)

The Control Unit (CU) coordinates all CPU activities and manages the Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle using __________.

control signals

__________ is extremely fast, low-capacity memory inside the CPU that stores frequently used instructions to speed up processing.

Cache

Cache is extremely fast, low-capacity memory located inside the __________.

CPU

Cache memory stores frequently used instructions inside the CPU in order to __________.

speed up processing

__________ is the number of Fetch-Decode-Execute cycles a CPU core can perform per second, measured in Hertz (GHz).

Clock Speed

Clock Speed is measured in Hertz (__________ ).

GHz

Clock Speed measures the number of Fetch-Decode-Execute cycles a CPU core can perform per __________.

second

__________ are independent processing units within a single CPU that can execute separate instructions simultaneously (multitasking).

Cores

Multiple cores allow a single CPU to execute separate instructions simultaneously, which is known as __________.

multitasking

Cores are described as independent __________ within a single CPU.

processing units

The acronym RAM stands for __________.

Random Access Memory

__________ is volatile primary memory that temporarily holds the operating system, open apps, and data currently in use.

RAM

RAM temporarily holds three key items: the operating system, __________, and data currently in use.

open apps

The acronym ROM stands for __________.

Read Only Memory

__________ is non-volatile primary memory that permanently stores the computer's startup instructions (BIOS).

ROM

ROM permanently stores the computer's startup instructions, also known as the __________.

BIOS

A memory configuration that loses all its data completely when the computer's power is turned off is called __________.

Volatile

Volatile memory loses all its data completely when the computer's power is __________.

turned off

A memory configuration that permanently keeps its data even when the computer's power is turned off is called __________.

Non-Volatile

Non-volatile memory permanently keeps its data even when the computer's power is __________.

turned off

__________ is a temporary section of the secondary storage (Hard Drive/SSD) used as extra RAM when physical RAM is completely full.

Virtual Memory

Virtual Memory uses a temporary section of the __________ storage (Hard Drive/SSD).

secondary

Virtual Memory is utilized as extra RAM when physical RAM is __________.

completely full

Secondary storage using magnetic fields on spinning platters (e.g., HDD) is known as __________.

Magnetic Storage

Magnetic Storage functions by utilizing magnetic fields on __________.

spinning platters

An example of magnetic storage provided in the cheat sheet is the __________.

HDD

Magnetic Storage has four noted characteristics: cheap, __________, slow, and vulnerable to drops.

massive capacity

Secondary storage using electronic flash memory chips (e.g., SSD, USB) is called __________.

Solid State Storage

Solid State Storage utilizes electronic __________ memory chips.

flash

Two examples of Solid State Storage provided in the notes are SSD and __________.

USB

Solid State Storage is characterized as extremely fast, durable, and __________.

expensive per GB

Secondary storage using lasers to read pits and lands on a reflective disk (e.g., CD, DVD) is known as __________.

Optical Storage

Optical Storage uses lasers to read __________ on a reflective disk.

pits and lands

Optical storage is characterized as cheap, portable, slow, and __________.

easily scratched

The acronym LAN stands for __________.

Local Area Network

A __________ connects devices over a small geographical area (single building/site) using owned infrastructure.

LAN

A Local Area Network (LAN) connects devices over a small geographical area using __________ infrastructure.

owned

The acronym WAN stands for __________.

Wide Area Network

A __________ connects devices over a large geographical area (cities/countries) using leased telecommunication lines.

WAN

A Wide Area Network (WAN) connects devices over a large geographical area using leased __________ lines.

telecommunication

A network layout where central servers manage security, data storage, and requests from individual client computers is a __________.

Client-Server Layout

In a Client-Server Layout, central servers manage __________, data storage, and requests from individual client computers.

security

A network layout where all connected computers have equal status and share data directly without a central server is a __________.

Peer-to-Peer Layout

In a Peer-to-Peer Layout, all connected computers have __________ status.

equal

A network layout where all devices connect directly to a central switch or hub is called a __________.

Star Topology

In a Star Topology, there is high reliability because single cable failures are __________.

isolated

A network layout where every device connects directly to multiple other devices is called a __________.

Mesh Topology

Mesh Topology provides high redundancy, but it is __________ to cable.

expensive

The core protocol suite dictating how data packets are broken down, addressed, routed, and reassembled across the internet is the __________.

TCP/IP Stack

The TCP/IP Stack dictates how __________ are broken down, addressed, routed, and reassembled across the internet.

data packets

The protocols used by web browsers to access webpages are __________.

HTTP / HTTPS

Between HTTP and HTTPS, the protocol that is encrypted and secure is __________.

HTTPS

The acronym FTP stands for __________.

File Transfer Protocol

The protocol used specifically for uploading or downloading files between computers on a network is __________.

FTP

The protocol that retrieves an email from a server and deletes it from the server once downloaded to a single device is __________.

POP3

Once downloaded to a single device, POP3 retrieves an email and __________ from the server.

deletes it

The protocol that syncs emails across a server, allowing multiple devices to view and manage the same live mailbox simultaneously, is __________.

IMAP

The acronym SMTP stands for __________.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

The protocol used exclusively for sending emails from a client to a server or between mail servers is __________.

SMTP

__________ is a social engineering attack using spoofed emails or links to trick users into revealing sensitive credentials.

Phishing

Phishing is categorized as a __________ attack using spoofed emails or links.

social engineering

Phishing attacks use spoofed emails or links to trick users into revealing __________.

sensitive credentials

A __________ is an attack string where automated software continually submits password combinations until it guesses correctly.

Brute-Force Attack

In a Brute-Force Attack, automated software continually submits __________ until it guesses correctly.

password combinations

An attack that floods a server with useless traffic to overload it, causing the system to crash or go offline, is a __________.

Denial of Service (DoS)

A Denial of Service (DoS) attack overloads a server by flooding it with __________.

useless traffic

A __________ is a security boundary checking incoming and outgoing network traffic to block unauthorized data based on custom rules.

Firewall

A firewall checks incoming and outgoing network traffic to block unauthorized data based on __________.

custom rules

__________ is scrambling plaintext data into an unreadable format using a key, readable only with the matching decryption key.

Encryption

Encrypted data is scrambled plaintext readable only with the matching __________.

decryption key

The __________ is core system software managing hardware peripherals, memory allocation, multitasking, and the user interface.

Operating System (OS)

The Operating System (OS) manages hardware peripherals, memory allocation, multitasking, and the __________.

user interface

__________ is a utility process reorganizing scattered files on a magnetic drive sequentially to speed up overall read/write indexing.

Defragmentation

Defragmentation reorganizes scattered files sequentially on a __________ drive.

magnetic

The primary goal of defragmentation is to speed up overall __________.

read/write indexing

The __________ is the law governing how organizations collect, process, and securely store personal information about living individuals.

Data Protection Act

The Data Protection Act specifically governs information concerning __________.

living individuals

Under the Data Protection Act, regulations control how organizations collect, process, and __________ personal information.

securely store

The __________ is the law making hacking, unauthorized access to computer systems, and creating or spreading malware strictly illegal.

Computer Misuse Act

The Computer Misuse Act makes hacking, unauthorized access to computer systems, and creating or spreading __________ strictly illegal.

malware

Under the Computer Misuse Act, obtaining __________ to computer systems is strictly illegal.

unauthorized access

The __________ is the law protecting intellectual property, making it illegal to copy, pirate, or distribute software/media without a license.

Copyright, Designs and Patents Act

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act protects __________.

intellectual property