Hardware and Software Concepts Flashcards

Which of the following is responsible for executing instructions and performing calculations in a computer, often referred to as the 'brain' of the computer?

Answer: Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the primary component of a computer that processes instructions. It runs the operating system and applications, constantly receiving input from the user or active software programs. It processes the data and produces output, which may be stored or displayed on the screen.

A user is working on a presentation and suddenly the power goes out. When they restart the computer, they find that all their unsaved work is lost. Which type of memory was storing the unsaved work?

Answer: Volatile Memory

Volatile memory, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), requires power to maintain the stored information. When the power is turned off, the contents of RAM are lost. This is why it's crucial to save work frequently to a non-volatile storage device like an HDD or SSD.

Which of the following is an example of application software?

Answer: A web browser

A web browser is a type of application software designed to perform a specific task for the user, in this case, accessing and viewing websites. Microsoft Windows and macOS are operating systems (system software), and a device driver is a specialized software that allows the operating system to communicate with a hardware device.

What is the primary function of an operating system?

Answer: To provide a user interface and manage computer hardware and software resources.

The operating system (OS) is the most important software that runs on a computer. It manages the computer's memory and processes, as well as all of its software and hardware. It also allows you to communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computer's language.

A user complains that their computer is running very slowly, especially when they have multiple programs open. They have an older computer with limited RAM. Which of the following hardware upgrades would MOST likely resolve this performance issue?

Answer: Adding more Random Access Memory (RAM).

RAM (Random Access Memory) is used by the computer to hold data for currently running programs. When there isn't enough RAM to hold all the open programs, the operating system has to swap data to the much slower hard drive, which significantly degrades performance. Increasing the amount of RAM allows the computer to handle more programs simultaneously without this slowdown.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between hardware and software?

Answer: Software tells the hardware what to do and how to do it.

Hardware refers to the physical components of a computer system that you can touch. Software is a set of instructions or programs that tells the hardware what tasks to perform. Without software, the hardware would not know what to do.