Computer Hardware Vocabulary:
Please define the following terms. For acronyms, be sure to include what the letters stand
for as well as the definition.
Give the URL that each individual definition comes from in parentheses, after the definition
itself, whether you paraphrase it or quote it verbatim. If you write the definition from your own
knowledge, identify it as (self). If you use the slide handouts from class, identify it as (slides). If
you do not use your own words, you must put the verbatim text in quotes. You must identify the
source for each definition individually, even if they all come from the same place. For example:
DVD: (Digital Versatile Disk or Digital Video Disk). A format for storing data on optical
disks. "A storage format that uses optical disks similar to CD-ROMs to store information. A
DVD disc is about the same size as a CD-ROM, although it stores much greater quantities of
information: an entire movie, or several hours of audio, or 5 gigabytes or more of computer
data." (www.4dimension.com)
Do not simply cut and paste definitions without reading and comprehending them! You will be
responsible for understanding these terms. Type your answers on a separate sheet.
1. RAM:
2. ROM:
3. Power supply:
4. CPU:
5. Microprocessor
6. Motherboard:
7. Bus:
8. USB:
9. Parallel port:
10. Serial port:
11. BIOS:
12. Boot sector:
13. POST (Power On Self Test):
14. Volatile memory (define, and give an example):
15. Non-volatile memory (define, and give an example):
16. Memory address:
17. Byte:
18. Moore’s Law:
19. Embedded System:
20. Instruction Set: (challenging – see what you can find)
21. Short answer: The key layout used for most computer keyboards is known as QWERTY.
When was the QWERTY layout invented, and why was it laid out in that order?
To get a 10: give useful and meaningful definitions – not so technical or so verbose that you
don't understand them. Give multiple definitions for the terms. Make sure you give the source
for each definition. Include some pictures where they're helpful.
Principles of Computer Technology – Page 1 of 1
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