Download Chapter 4: Key Terms

Chapter 4: Key Terms
Secondary Terms
1. Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP): a bus designed by Intel to improve the speed
with which 3-D graphics and video transmit.
2. Address: a unique number that identifies the location of a byte in memory.
3. Address Bus: transfers information’s about where the data should reside in
memory.
4. Advanced Transfer Cache: a type of L2 cache which built directly on the processor
chip.
5. ALU: another component of the processor which performs arithmetic,
comparison, and other operations.
6. Arithmetic Operations: basic calculations such as addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division.
7. ASCII: the most widely used coding system to represent data.
8. Binary Digit: the smallest unit of data the computer can process.
9. Bus Width: the size of a bus.
10. Centrino: a platform marketing initiative from Intel.
11. Centrino Duo: the combination of Core 2 Duo and Intel Next Gen Wireless
Systems but it referring to the mobile CPU directly.
12. Chassis: the case of the system unit which is made of metal or plastic and
protects the internal electronic components from damage.
13. Clock Cycle: equals to each tick.
14. COM Port: one type of serial port.
15. Comparison Operations: comparing one data item with another to determine
whether the first item is greater than, equal to, or less than the other item.
16. Daisy Chain: the first USB device connects to the USB port on the computer, the
second USB device connects to the first USB device, the third USB device connects to
the second USB device, and so on.
17. Data Bus: transfers the actual data.
18. Decoding: the process of translating the instruction into signals the computer can
execute.
19. DDR SDRAM: chips that are even faster than SDRAM chips because they transfer
data twice for each clock cycle.
20. DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module): a type of memory module that the pins on
opposite sides of the circuit board do not connect and thus form two sets of
contacts.
21. Dynamic RAM (DRAM): a basic type of RAM chip where it must be re-energized
constantly or they lose their contents.
22. EBCDIC: a coding system where it is primarily used on mainframe computers and
high-end servers.
23. EEPROM: a variation of the PROM chip which allows a programmer to erase the
microcode with an electric signal.
24. Executing: the process of carrying out the commands.
25. Expansion Bus: an input/output pathway from the CPU to peripheral devices
typically made up of a series of slots on the motherboard.
26. Expansion Card: a circuit board that enhances functions of a component of the
system unit and/or provides connections to peripherals.
27. External Drive Bay: allows a user to access the drive from outside the system
unit.
28. External SATA Port: allow you to connect an external SATA (Serial Advanced
Technology Attachment) hard disk to a computer.
29. Fast Infrared Port: a port where both the computer and the device must have to
transmit signal to a computer.
30. Fetching: the process of obtaining a program instruction or data item from
memory.
31. FireWire 800: the latest FireWire version which is more advanced than its
predecessor, FireWire 400.
32. FireWire Bus: buses that eliminate the need to install cards in expansion slots.
33. Form Factor: a specification of physical dimensions, layouts, and other explicit
information that helps ensure the hardware works with products that support that
form factor.
34. Front Side Bus (FSB): part of the motherboard and connects the processor to
main memory.
35. Gender Changer: a device that enables user to join two connectors that are both
female or both male.
36. Graphics Card: a card to converts computer output into a video signal that travels
through a cable to the monitor, which displays an image on the screen.
37. Heat Pipe: a smaller devices that cools processors in notebook computers.
38. Heat Sink: a small ceramic or metal component with fins on its surface that
absorbs and disperses heat produced by electrical components such as a processor.
39. Hertz: the number of works completed per second.
40. Hot Plugging: a feature which allows user to insert and remove the removable
flash memory and other devices while the computer is running.
41. Hyper-Threading Technology (HT): a technology where it improves processing
power and time by allowing a processor to mimic the power of two processors.
42. IBM Processor: a processor which Apple computers used and it had a different
design from the Intel-style processor.
43. IEEE 1394 Port: a port which is similar to a USB port in that it can connect
multiple types of devices that require faster data transmission speeds.
44. Integrated Circuit: a circuit contains many microscopic pathways capable of
carrying electrical current and it contains millions of elements such as resistors,
capacitors, and transistors.
45. Intel-compatible Processors: an internal design similar to Intel processors, able to
perform the same functions, and can be as powerful, but often are less expensive.
46. Internal Drive Bay: concealed entirely within the system unit.
47. IrDA: a feature where the IrDA ports which conform to standards.
48. L1 Cache: a cache where is built directly in the processor chip, has a very small
capacity.
49. L2 Cache: a cache where it is slightly slower than L1 cache but it has a much
larger capacity.
50. L3 Cache: a cache on the motherboard that is separate from the processor chip.
51. Liquid Cooling Technology: a process that transfers the heated fluid away from
the processor to a radiator-type grill, which cools the liquid, and then returns the
cooled fluid to the processor.
52. Machine Cycle: a processor that repeats a set of four basic operations for every
instruction.
53. Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM): a newer type of RAM which stores data using
magnetic charges instead of electrical charges.
54. Main Memory: memory chips that can be read from and written to by the
processor and other devices.
55. Massively Parallel Processing: large-scale parallel processing that involves
hundreds or thousands of processors.
56. Microcode: instructions to program a PROM chip.
57. Microprocessor: a personal computer processor chip.
58. MIPS (Millions of Instructions per Second): a measurement for some computer
professionals of a processor’s speed.
59. Motorola Processor: a processor which Apple computers used and it had a
different design from the Intel-style processor.
60. Musical Instrument Digital Interface: the electronic music industry’s standard
that defines how devices, such as sound cards and synthesizers, represent sounds
electronically.
61. Nonvolatile Memory: a permanent memory where it does not lose its contents
when power is removed from the computer.
62. NS (nanosecond): one billionth of a second.
63. Parallel Processing: a method that uses multiple processors simultaneously to
execute a single program or task.
64. PC Card bus: the expansion bus for a PC Card.
65. PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus: a high-speed expansion bus that
connects higher speed devices.
66. PCI Express bus: an expansion bus that expands on and doubles the speed of the
original PCI bus.
67. Personal Computer Memory Card International Association: a feature where
both PC Cards and ExpressCard modules conform to standards.
68. Pipelining: executing another instruction without having to wait for the first
instruction to be complete.
69. PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory) chip: a blank ROM chip on which a
programmer can write permanently.
70. Rambus DRAM (RDRAM): another type of DRAM that is much faster than SDRAM
because it uses pipelining techniques.
71. Random Access Memory: memory chips that can be read from and written to by
the processor and other devices.
72. Registers: a processor that contains small, high-speed storage locations that
temporarily hold data and instructions.
73. RIMM (Rambus Inline Memory Module): a type of memory module in which it is
the houses of RDRAM chips.
74. SCSI: a special high-speed parallel port which stands for small computer system
interface.
75. SETI@home: a scientific project that runs a program on home users’ Internetconnected computers whose purpose is to detect possible intelligent life outside
Earth.
76. SIMM (Single Inline Memory Module): a type of memory module that has pins on
opposite sides of the circuit board that connect together to form a single set of
contacts.
77. Static RAM (SRAM): a basic type of RAM chips that are faster and more reliable
than any variation of DRAM chips.
78. Stored Program Concept: The role of memory to store both data and programs.
79. Storing: writing the result to memory.
80. Superscalar: a processor where they can execute more than one instruction per
clock cycle.
81. Synchoronous DRAM (SDRAM): chips that is much faster than DRAM chips
because they are synchronized to the system clock.
82. Synthesizer: a peripheral or a chip that creates sound from digital instructions.
83. System Board: the main circuit board of the system unit.
84. System Bus: part of the motherboard and connects the processor to main
memory.
85. System on a Chip: another type of processor which integrates the functions of a
processor, memory, and a video card on a single chip.
86. Transistor: an electronic switch that opens or closes the circuit for electrical
charges.
87. U3 Smart Drive: A special type of USB flash drive that includes preinstalled
software accessed through a Windows-type interface.
88. Unicode: a 16-bit coding scheme that has the capacity of representing more than
65,000 characters and symbols.
89. Universal Serial Bus Port: buses that eliminate the need to install cards in
expansion slots.
90. USB 2.0: the latest version of USB which is a more advanced and faster USB, with
speeds 40 times higher than that of its predecessor.
91. UBS Flash Drive: a flash memory storage device that plugs in a USB port on a
computer or portable device.
92. Viiv Technology: a technology which is designed to enhance digital
entertainment through a home computer.
93. vPro Technology: a technology which provides the ability to track computer
hardware and software, diagnose and resolve computer problems, and secure
computers from outside threats.
94. Volatile Memory: a temporary memory that will loses its contents when the
computer’s power is turned off.