UNIT 2 – OS MCQ

25 December 2023 09:25

1. What is the primary function of an operating system (OS)?

a. Managing hardware components
b. Providing core services to applications
c. Organizing and overseeing resources
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

2. What are examples of prevalent operating systems?

a. iOS
b. Android
c. Windows
d. All of the above
Answer: c. Windows

3. What is a process in the context of an operating system?

a. The execution of a program
b. A child process
c. A stack for temporary information
d. All of the above
Answer: a. The execution of a program

4. What is the main function of a Process Control Block (PCB) in OS?

a. Managing input and output activities
b. Storing global variables
c. Storing information about a specific process
d. None of the above
Answer: c. Storing information about a specific process

5. What is the purpose of CPU scheduling in an operating system?

a. To optimize CPU utilization
b. To execute processes concurrently
c. To minimize race conditions
d. None of the above
Answer: a. To optimize CPU utilization

6. Which scheduling algorithm selects the process with the smallest remaining burst time?
a. Round Robin
b. First-Come-First-Serve (FCFS)
c. Shortest Job First (SJF)
d. Priority Scheduling
Answer: c. Shortest Job First (SJF)

7. What does IPC stand for in the context of an operating system?

a. Inter-Process Communication
b. Input-Output Communication
c. Internal Process Control
d. Intra-Process Coordination
Answer: a. Inter-Process Communication

8. What is the purpose of the buddy system in memory allocation?

a. To prevent memory leaks
b. To allocate memory based on block sizes
c. To reduce external fragmentation
d. All of the above
Answer: b. To allocate memory based on block sizes

9. In paging, what is the role of a page table?

a. To store logical addresses
b. To map logical addresses to physical addresses
c. To manage internal fragmentation
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To map logical addresses to physical addresses

10. What is the main advantage of using threads in an operating system?

a. Enhanced responsiveness
b. Improved security
c. Reduced CPU utilization
d. None of the above
Answer: a. Enhanced responsiveness

11. What does TLB stand for in the context of memory management?
a. Table Lookup Buffer
b. Translation Lookaside Buffer
c. Thread Level Buffer
d. Task Lookup Buffer
Answer: b. Translation Lookaside Buffer

12. In demand paging, when are pages brought into memory?

a. At the start of the program execution
b. Only when needed
c. In a random order
d. After the program finishes execution
Answer: b. Only when needed

13. What is the purpose of a semaphore in inter-process communication (IPC)?

a. To control access to shared resources
b. To facilitate communication between parent and child processes
c. To prevent race conditions
d. All of the above
Answer: a. To control access to shared resources

14. What is the default action for a signal in Unix?

a. Stop the process
b. Disregard the signal
c. Dump core
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

15. What is the purpose of the FIFO page replacement algorithm?

a. To replace the oldest page in memory
b. To replace the most recently used page
c. To replace a random page in memory
d. None of the above
Answer: a. To replace the oldest page in memory

16. In multiprogramming, what is shared among multiple processes?

a. CPU
b. Memory
c. Input devices
d. Output devices
Answer: b. Memory

17. What does IPC help achieve in a multi-threaded process?

a. Synchronization
b. Coordination
c. Communication
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

18. What is the purpose of compaction in memory management?

a. To reduce fragmentation
b. To increase external fragmentation
c. To decrease CPU utilization
d. None of the above
Answer: a. To reduce fragmentation

19. What is the term for a part of code where shared resources are accessed by only one process at a time?
a. Race condition
b. Critical section
c. Deadlock
d. Semaphore
Answer: b. Critical section

20. What is the role of the CPU scheduler in an operating system?

a. To allocate memory to processes
b. To manage input and output activities
c. To optimize CPU utilization
d. None of the above
Answer: c. To optimize CPU utilization

21. What is the purpose of the buddy system in memory allocation?

a. To prevent memory leaks
b. To allocate memory based on block sizes
c. To reduce external fragmentation
d. All of the above
Answer: b. To allocate memory based on block sizes

22. What is the main advantage of using threads in an operating system?

a. Enhanced responsiveness
b. Improved security
c. Reduced CPU utilization
d. None of the above
Answer: a. Enhanced responsiveness

23. In paging, what is the role of a page table?

a. To store logical addresses
b. To map logical addresses to physical addresses
c. To manage internal fragmentation
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To map logical addresses to physical addresses

24. What does TLB stand for in the context of memory management?
a. Table Lookup Buffer
b. Translation Lookaside Buffer
c. Thread Level Buffer
d. Task Lookup Buffer
Answer: b. Translation Lookaside Buffer

25. In demand paging, when are pages brought into memory?

a. At the start of the program execution
b. Only when needed
c. In a random order
d. After the program finishes execution
Answer: b. Only when needed

26. What is the purpose of a semaphore in inter-process communication (IPC)?

a. To control access to shared resources
b. To facilitate communication between parent and child processes
c. To prevent race conditions
d. All of the above
Answer: a. To control access to shared resources

27. What is the default action for a signal in Unix?

a. Stop the process
b. Disregard the signal
c. Dump core
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

28. What is the purpose of the FIFO page replacement algorithm?

a. To replace the oldest page in memory
b. To replace the most recently used page
c. To replace a random page in memory
d. None of the above
Answer: a. To replace the oldest page in memory

29. In multiprogramming, what is shared among multiple processes?

a. CPU
b. Memory
c. Input devices
d. Output devices
Answer: b. Memory

30. What does IPC help achieve in a multi-threaded process?

a. Synchronization
b. Coordination
c. Communication
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

31. What does PCB stand for in the context of an operating system?
a. Process Communication Buffer
b. Program Control Block
c. Process Control Block
d. Priority Control Buffer
Answer: c. Process Control Block

32. What information does the Process Control Block (PCB) store for a specific process?
a. Process state
b. Program counter
c. CPU registers
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

33. In the Process Control Block, what does the Program Counter (PC) indicate?
a. The location of the next instruction to be executed
b. The priority level of the process
c. The process's waiting time
d. The total CPU time used by the process
Answer: a. The location of the next instruction to be executed

34. What is the purpose of CPU-scheduling information in the PCB?

a. To store the process priority details
b. To keep track of the pointers to scheduling queues
c. To specify the CPU utilization of the process
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
35. Which component of the PCB contains information about the amount of CPU time spent by the process?
a. CPU registers
b. Memory-management information
c. Accounting information
d. I/O status information
Answer: c. Accounting information

36. What is the role of the Process State in the Process Control Block?
a. It indicates whether the process is a parent or child
b. It represents the activity or condition of the process
c. It determines the CPU priority of the process
d. It specifies the process's memory limits
Answer: b. It represents the activity or condition of the process
37. Which information does the Memory-management section of the PCB include?
a. Base and limit register values
b. Page tables or segment tables
c. Process priority details
d. Amount of CPU and time spent in the process
Answer: a. Base and limit register values

38. In the context of a process state diagram, what does the "Ready" state indicate?
a. The process has just been created
b. The process is waiting for an event to occur
c. The process is ready and waiting for the processor
d. The process has completed its execution
Answer: c. The process is ready and waiting for the processor

39. What is the final state of a process in the process state diagram?
a. New
b. Ready
c. Terminated
d. Running
Answer: c. Terminated

40. How does the Process Control Block contribute to the functioning of an operating system?
a. By storing information specific to each process
b. By managing input and output activities
c. By controlling hardware resources
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

41. What is the significance of the CPU registers in the Process Control Block?
a. They store temporary information like function arguments
b. They indicate the location of the next instruction to be executed
c. They manage the process's memory limits
d. All of the above
Answer: b. They indicate the location of the next instruction to be executed

42. How does the Process Control Block contribute to the concept of process scheduling?
a. It determines the CPU priority of the process
b. It contains pointers to scheduling queues
c. It specifies the scheduling settings
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

43. What is the function of the I/O status information in the Process Control Block?
a. It contains the amount of CPU time spent in the process
b. It includes a set of I/O devices assigned to the process
c. It manages the process's global variables
d. None of the above
Answer: b. It includes a set of I/O devices assigned to the process

44. How does the Process Control Block handle the termination of a process?
a. By transmitting output data from the child process to the parent process
b. By requesting deletion from the OS using the exit() system call
c. By halting the execution of one of its offspring processes
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

45. What is the purpose of the process state "Waiting" in the process state diagram?
a. The process is ready and waiting for the processor
b. The process is in its initial state
c. The process is waiting for an event or occurrence
d. The process has completed its execution
Answer: c. The process is waiting for an event or occurrence
46. In the context of the Process Control Block, what does "Spawning" refer to?
a. The termination of a process
b. The creation of a new process by a parent process
c. The execution of the process's last statement
d. None of the above
Answer: b. The creation of a new process by a parent process

47. What is the primary purpose of the Memory Limits information in the Process Control Block?
a. To specify the location of the next instruction
b. To define the process's global variables
c. To manage the process's memory allocation during runtime
d. None of the above
Answer: c. To manage the process's memory allocation during runtime

48. What information does the Accounting section of the Process Control Block include?
a. The amount of CPU and time spent in the process
b. The program counter value
c. The location of the next instruction
d. All of the above
Answer: a. The amount of CPU and time spent in the process

49. How does the Process Control Block handle an interrupt during process execution?
a. By terminating the process immediately
b. By saving the state information so that the process can be resumed appropriately
c. By disregarding the interrupt
d. All of the above
Answer: b. By saving the state information so that the process can be resumed appropriately

50. What is the role of the Process Control Block in the context of process creation?
a. It defines the child process
b. It generates a new process via the create-process system function
c. It specifies the location of the next instruction
d. None of the above
Answer: b. It generates a new process via the create-process system function

51. What is a thread in the context of an operating system?

a. A unit of process execution
b. A separate program
c. A hardware component
d. All of the above
Answer: a. A unit of process execution

52. What is the primary advantage of using threads in an operating system?

a. Increased security
b. Improved memory management
c. Enhanced responsiveness
d. None of the above
Answer: c. Enhanced responsiveness

53. In a multi-threaded process, do threads share the same resources?

a. No, each thread has its own set of resources
b. Yes, threads share the same resources
c. Threads cannot exist in a multi-threaded process
d. None of the above
Answer: b. Yes, threads share the same resources

54. What is the term for a thread that is scheduled and executed by the operating system?
a. User-level thread
b. Kernel-level thread
c. Task thread
d. Program thread
Answer: b. Kernel-level thread
55. In a user-level thread, how is thread management handled?
a. By the operating system kernel
b. By a thread library at the user level
c. By the CPU scheduler
d. All of the above
Answer: b. By a thread library at the user level

56. What is the purpose of a thread ID in thread management?

a. It indicates the priority of the thread
b. It uniquely identifies each thread in a process
c. It represents the execution time of the thread
d. None of the above
Answer: b. It uniquely identifies each thread in a process

57. What is a lightweight process (LWP) in the context of threads?

a. A process with a large memory footprint
b. A thread with low priority
c. A mechanism to reduce thread overhead
d. None of the above
Answer: c. A mechanism to reduce thread overhead

58. What is thread contention in the context of thread synchronization?

a. A situation where threads share resources harmoniously
b. A situation where threads compete for the same resources
c. A condition where threads always yield to each other
d. None of the above
Answer: b. A situation where threads compete for the same resources

59. How does thread synchronization contribute to the prevention of race conditions?
a. By allowing multiple threads to access shared resources simultaneously
b. By ensuring that only one thread can access shared resources at a time
c. By increasing thread contention
d. None of the above
Answer: b. By ensuring that only one thread can access shared resources at a time

60. What is the purpose of a mutex in thread synchronization?

a. To increase thread contention
b. To allow multiple threads simultaneous access
c. To prevent multiple threads from accessing shared resources simultaneously
d. None of the above
Answer: c. To prevent multiple threads from accessing shared resources simultaneously

61. What is the role of a semaphore in thread synchronization?

a. To indicate the priority of a thread
b. To manage thread IDs
c. To control access to shared resources
d. None of the above
Answer: c. To control access to shared resources

62. In thread management, what is the purpose of the join operation?

a. To combine multiple threads into a single thread
b. To split a thread into multiple threads
c. To wait for a thread to complete before continuing
d. None of the above
Answer: c. To wait for a thread to complete before continuing

63. What is the significance of thread priority in the context of thread scheduling?
a. It determines the number of threads in a process
b. It indicates the execution speed of a thread
c. It influences the order in which threads are scheduled
d. None of the above
Answer: c. It influences the order in which threads are scheduled

64. What is the term for a thread that is dependent on another thread's completion?
a. Independent thread
b. Dependent thread
c. Child thread
d. None of the above
Answer: b. Dependent thread

65. What is the purpose of a thread pool in thread management?

a. To manage thread priorities
b. To store thread IDs
c. To reuse existing threads for new tasks
d. None of the above
Answer: c. To reuse existing threads for new tasks

66. In the context of threads, what does the term "fork" refer to?
a. The creation of a new thread
b. The duplication of a process or thread
c. The termination of a thread
d. None of the above
Answer: b. The duplication of a process or thread

67. How does a thread differ from a process in terms of resource sharing?
a. Threads share the same resources, while processes have their own resources
b. Threads have their own resources, while processes share the same resources
c. Both threads and processes share the same resources
d. None of the above
Answer: a. Threads share the same resources, while processes have their own resources

68. What is the term for a thread that executes independently and concurrently with other threads?
a. Sequential thread
b. Parallel thread
c. Concurrency thread
d. None of the above
Answer: b. Parallel thread

69. How does thread parallelism contribute to performance improvement?

a. By reducing thread contention
b. By increasing thread priority
c. By allowing multiple threads to execute simultaneously
d. None of the above
Answer: c. By allowing multiple threads to execute simultaneously

70. What is the purpose of the yield operation in thread management?

a. To terminate a thread
b. To pause a thread temporarily
c. To increase thread contention
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To pause a thread temporarily

71. In thread synchronization, what does the term "deadlock" refer to?
a. A situation where threads compete for resources
b. A situation where threads cannot proceed because each is waiting for the other
c. A situation where threads share resources harmoniously
d. None of the above
Answer: b. A situation where threads cannot proceed because each is waiting for the other

72. What is the primary advantage of using multiple threads in a single process?
a. Increased security
b. Improved memory management
c. Enhanced parallelism and responsiveness
d. None of the above
Answer: c. Enhanced parallelism and responsiveness

73. How does a multi-threaded process differ from a single-threaded process in terms of execution?
a. Multi-threaded processes execute sequentially
b. Multi-threaded processes execute concurrently
c. Single-threaded processes execute in parallel
d. None of the above
Answer: b. Multi-threaded processes execute concurrently

74. What is the purpose of thread-local storage (TLS) in thread management?

a. To store thread IDs
b. To manage thread priorities
c. To provide each thread with its own data storage area
d. None of the above
Answer: c. To provide each thread with its own data storage area

75. How does a thread differ from a process in terms of overhead?

a. Threads have higher overhead than processes
b. Processes have higher overhead than threads
c. Both threads and processes have the same overhead
d. None of the above
Answer: b. Processes have higher overhead than threads

76. What is the role of the thread scheduler in a multi-threaded environment?

a. To allocate resources for thread execution
b. To manage thread IDs
c. To control access to shared resources
d. All of the above
Answer: a. To allocate resources for thread execution

77. How does thread priority influence the execution order of threads?
a. Threads with higher priority execute first
b. Threads with lower priority execute first
c. Priority has no impact on the execution order
d. None of the above
Answer: a. Threads with higher priority execute first

78. What is the significance of the term "thread-safe" in the context of programming?
a. It refers to a thread that is protected from termination
b. It indicates that a program or function can be safely used by multiple threads
c. It denotes a thread with high priority
d. None of the above
Answer: b. It indicates that a program or function can be safely used by multiple threads

79. How does thread communication contribute to the synchronization of threads?

a. By allowing threads to operate independently
b. By preventing threads from sharing resources
c. By enabling threads to exchange information and coordinate their actions
d. None of the above
Answer: c. By enabling threads to exchange information and coordinate their actions

80. What is the purpose of the fork() system call in the context of threads?
a. To create a new thread
b. To duplicate the entire process, including all threads
c. To terminate a thread
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To duplicate the entire process, including all threads

81. What is the primary role of the process scheduler in an operating system?
a. To manage thread priorities
b. To allocate resources for process execution
c. To control access to shared resources
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To allocate resources for process execution

82. How does the "Ready" state differ from the "Running" state in the process state diagram?
a. In the "Ready" state, the process is waiting for an event; in the "Running" state, the process instructions are implemented
b. In the "Ready" state, the process is created; in the "Running" state, the process has completed its execution
c. In the "Ready" state, the process is terminated; in the "Running" state, the process is ready and waiting for the processor
d. None of the above
Answer: a. In the "Ready" state, the process is waiting for an event; in the "Running" state, the process instructions are
implemented

83. What is the significance of the term "Cascading termination" in process termination?
a. It refers to the termination of a process due to an interrupt
b. It indicates that the parent process is exiting, and the OS prohibits the continuation of its child processes
c. It denotes the process state when it is created
d. None of the above
Answer: b. It indicates that the parent process is exiting, and the OS prohibits the continuation of its child processes

84. How does a process create new processes, and what are the execution options for the parent process?
a. Processes are created using the fork() system call, and the parent process can either execute alongside its offspring or await
their termination
b. Processes are created using the exec() system call, and the parent process always proceeds to execute alongside its offspring
c. Processes are created using the create-process system function, and the parent process proceeds to execute independently
d. None of the above
Answer: a. Processes are created using the fork() system call, and the parent process can either execute alongside its
offspring or await their termination

85. What is the primary function of the "Running" state in the process state diagram?
a. To create a new process
b. To implement the process instructions
c. To wait for an event or occurrence
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To implement the process instructions

86. How does a process transition between different states in the process state diagram?
a. Through the Scheduler dispatch
b. Through the creation of child processes
c. Through the occurrence of an interrupt
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

87. What information does the CPU-scheduling information in the Process Control Block include?
a. Process state details
b. Memory limits
c. Process priority and pointers to scheduling queues
d. None of the above
Answer: c. Process priority details along with the pointers to scheduling queues and any other scheduling settings

88. How does a process enter the "Ready" state in the process state diagram?
a. When it is created
b. When it is terminated
c. When it is waiting for an event to happen
d. None of the above
Answer: c. When it is waiting for an event to happen

89. What is the primary purpose of multiprogramming in the context of CPU utilization?
a. To increase the number of processes in the "Terminated" state
b. To have some processes active at all times, maximizing CPU utilization
c. To create child processes
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To have some processes active at all times, maximizing CPU utilization

90. What is the role of the process state "Terminated" in the process state diagram?
a. It is the initial state of the process
b. It is the state where the process is created
c. It is the final state where the process has completed its implementation
d. None of the above
Answer: c. It is the final state where the process has completed its implementation

91. How does the "Interrupt" state contribute to process execution in the process state diagram?
a. It indicates the termination of the process
b. It results in the process being added to the "Ready" state
c. It stops the usual execution flow and passes control to a registered signal handler
d. None of the above
Answer: c. It stops the usual execution flow and passes control to a registered signal handler

92. What is the purpose of the "New" state in the process state diagram?
a. It is the state where the process is created
b. It is the state where the process has completed its implementation
c. It is the initial state of the process
d. None of the above
Answer: c. It is the initial state of the process

93. How does the Process Control Block handle memory management information?
a. It manages the process's global variables
b. It comprises the base and limit register values, page tables, or segment tables
c. It contains the amount of CPU and time spent in the process
d. None of the above
Answer: b. It comprises the base and limit register values, page tables, or segment tables

94. What is the function of the "Interrupt" state in the process state diagram?
a. It is the state where the process is terminated
b. It results in the process being added to the "Ready" state
c. It stops the usual execution flow and passes control to a registered signal handler
d. None of the above
Answer: c. It stops the usual execution flow and passes control to a registered signal handler

95. How does the Process Control Block contribute to process scheduling?
a. It determines the CPU priority of the process
b. It contains pointers to scheduling queues
c. It specifies the scheduling settings
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above

96. In the context of process termination, what is the role of the exit() system call?
a. It indicates the termination of the process
b. It requests deletion from the OS and performs final cleanup activities
c. It stops the usual execution flow and passes control to a registered signal handler
d. None of the above
Answer: b. It requests deletion from the OS and performs final cleanup activities

97. What does the "Spawning" technique refer to in the context of processes?
a. It is the process state where the process is waiting for an event to happen
b. It is the technique of producing child processes from a parent process
c. It is the final state where the process has completed its implementation
d. None of the above
Answer: b. It is the technique of producing child processes from a parent process

98. How does the Process Control Block handle CPU registers in the context of a process?
a. It manages the process's global variables
b. It consists of the number and kind of registers, including accumulators, index registers, stack pointers, etc.
c. It contains the amount of CPU and time spent in the process
d. None of the above
Answer: b. It consists of the number and kind of registers, including accumulators, index registers, stack pointers, etc.

99. What is the primary purpose of the "IO/O queue" in process scheduling?
a. It contains processes waiting for an I/O device
b. It is the initial state of the process
c. It is the final state where the process has completed its implementation
d. None of the above
Answer: a. It contains processes waiting for an I/O device

100. How does the "Waiting" state contribute to process execution in the process state diagram?
a. It indicates the termination of the process
b. It results in the process being added to the "Ready" state
c. It is the state where the process is waiting for an event to happen
d. None of the above
Answer: c. It is the state where the process is waiting for an event to happen

101. What is the significance of the "IO/O request" in the context of process execution?
a. It is the state where the process is created
b. It indicates the termination of the process
c. It is a request made by a process to an I/O device
d. None of the above
Answer: c. It is a request made by a process to an I/O device

102. How does the "Job queue" differ from the "Ready queue" in process scheduling?
a. The Job queue contains processes in primary memory waiting to be executed, while the Ready queue contains all processes
present in the system
b. The Job queue is the initial state of the process, while the Ready queue is the final state
c. The Job queue contains processes waiting for an I/O device, while the Ready queue contains processes in primary memory
d. None of the above
Answer: a. The Job queue contains processes in primary memory waiting to be executed, while the Ready queue
contains all processes present in the system

103. What is the primary function of the "Interrupts occur" state in process execution?
a. To indicate the termination of the process
b. To trigger a registered signal handler
c. To generate a new process
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To trigger a registered signal handler

104. How does the "Exit" state contribute to process termination in the process state diagram?
a. It indicates the termination of the process
b. It results in the process being added to the "Ready" state
c. It stops the usual execution flow and passes control to a registered signal handler
d. None of the above
Answer: a. It indicates the termination of the process

105. What is the role of the "Interrupts occur" state in process execution?
a. To indicate the termination of the process
b. To trigger a registered signal handler
c. To generate a new process
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To trigger a registered signal handler

106. How does the "Ready" state contribute to process execution in the process state diagram?
a. It is the state where the process is created
b. It is the state where the process has completed its implementation
c. It is the state where the process is waiting for an event to happen
d. None of the above
Answer: c. It is the state where the process is waiting for an event to happen

107. What information is included in the Process Control Block's CPU registers?
a. Process state details
b. Number and kind of registers, including accumulators, index registers, stack pointers, etc.
c. Memory limits
d. None of the above
Answer: b. Number and kind of registers, including accumulators, index registers, stack pointers, etc.

108. How does the "Ready queue" differ from the "IO/O queue" in process scheduling?
a. The Ready queue contains processes in primary memory waiting to be executed, while the IO/O queue contains processes
waiting for an I/O device
b. The Ready queue is the initial state of the process, while the IO/O queue is the final state
c. The Ready queue is the state where the process is waiting for an event to happen, while the IO/O queue contains processes in
primary memory
d. None of the above
Answer: a. The Ready queue contains processes in primary memory waiting to be executed, while the IO/O queue
contains processes waiting for an I/O device
109. What is the primary purpose of the "Interrupts occur" state in process execution?
a. To indicate the termination of the process
b. To trigger a registered signal handler
c. To generate a new process
d. None of the above
Answer: b. To trigger a registered signal handler

110. How does the "Waiting" state contribute to process execution in the process state diagram?
a. It indicates the termination of the process
b. It results in the process being added to the "Ready" state
c. It is the state where the process is waiting for an event to happen
d. None of the above
Answer: c. It is the state where the process is waiting for an event to happen