1.1 - The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices
What is the role of the processor in a computer system?
The processor is the "brain" of the computer that executes instructions.
What is system software?
Software that controls the computer's operation.
What is a LAN?
A network within a small geographic area.
What is a data type?
The type of data that a variable can hold, such as integers or strings.
What are some ethical considerations around artificial intelligence?
Issues such as bias, privacy, and accountability.
Describe the purpose of input and output devices in a computer system.
Input devices allow users to enter data into a computer system, while output devices allow users to receive information from a computer system.
What is the software development life cycle?
A process used to create software, consisting of stages such as planning, design, coding, testing, and maintenance.
What is a protocol?
A set of rules governing the communication between devices.
What is an array?
A collection of data stored in contiguous memory locations.
Why is privacy important in the digital age?
To protect personal information from misuse and unauthorized access.
Explain the difference between volatile and non-volatile memory.
Volatile memory loses its data when power is lost, while non-volatile memory retains its data.
What is open source software?
Free software that allows users to view and modify the source code, but may lack professional support.
What is the CSS code to change the background colour of an HTML element to blue?
background-color: blue;
What is a hash table?
A data structure that maps keys to values for efficient lookups.
What are the consequences of cyber attacks and data breaches?
Financial losses, loss of sensitive data, and reputational damage.
What is an instruction set?
A set of instructions that a processor can execute, such as arithmetic and logic operations, and memory access.
What are the three types of programming languages?
High-level, assembly, and machine languages.
What are two common uses of hashing?
Hashing is commonly used in web development for password storage, URL shortening, and data verification.
What are the rules for creating a Karnaugh map?
The rules for creating a Karnaugh map include grouping adjacent cells that have a value of 1, grouping cells in powers of 2 (e.g., 1, 2, 4, 8), and creating the largest groups possible. The resulting groups can then be used to create simplified Boolean expressions.
What is the Computer Misuse Act in the UK and what activities does it prohibit?
The Computer Misuse Act is a UK law that makes it illegal to access or modify computer systems without authorization, or to create or distribute malicious software. It also prohibits activities such as hacking, phishing, and denial-of-service attacks, and imposes penalties for those found guilty of such activities.
What determines processor performance?
Clock speed, cache size, number of cores, and architectural features.
What are the stages of compilation?
The stages of compilation include lexical analysis, syntax analysis, semantic analysis, code generation, and optimisation.
What are two advantages and two disadvantages of wireless communication?
Greater mobility and flexibility, but can be subject to interference and security vulnerabilities.
What is a linked list and how does it differ from an array?
A linked list is a data structure consisting of a collection of nodes, where each node stores a data value and a reference to the next node in the list. Unlike arrays, linked lists do not have a fixed size and can be dynamically resized, and accessing elements in a linked list requires traversing the list from the beginning rather than using an index.
What is the Data Protection Act in the UK and what are some of its key principles?
The Data Protection Act is a UK law that governs how personal data is collected, processed, and stored by organizations. Some of its key principles include the requirement to obtain consent for data processing, the right to access and correct personal data, the obligation to keep personal data secure, and the requirement to report data breaches to the relevant authorities.