Chapter 1 (BASIC CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY)

MCQs
1. Desktop and personal computers are also known as.
a) Microcomputer
b) Supercomputer
c) Mainframe computer
d) Peripheral equipment
2. What does a dumb terminal consists of?
a) Microprocessor and monitor
b) Keyboard and printer
c) Keyboard and monitor
d) Keyboard and microprocessor
3. A bar-code reader is an example of a
a) Processing device
b) Storage device
c) Input device
d) Output device
4. The central processing unit is an example of
a) Software
b) Program
c) Hardware
d) Output unit
5. Which part of CPU performs all arithmetic and logic calculations on data it receives?
a) Control unit
b) Main memory unit
c) ALU
d) Read only memory
6. Which of the following can be output by a computer?
a) Graphics and text
b) Voice
c) Computer usable information
d) All of the above
7. Printers and screens are common forms of
a) Input units
b) Output units
c) Storage units
d) Processing units
8. An example of peripheral equipment is the
a) CPU
b) Spreadsheet
c) Printer
d) Microprocessor
9. A monitor looks like a television set but it does not
a) Give a steady picture
b) Receive television signals
 c) Give a clear picture
d) Display graphics
10. Main problem with LCD is that they are difficult to read
a) Directly
b) In bright light
c) In dull light
d) Both (b) and (c)
11. It is a non-impact printer that can produce very high quality letter printing
a) Daisy wheel printer
b) Chain printer
c) Laser printer
d) Dot matrix printer
12. Name the printer which prints all the A’s in line before all the B’s
a) Inkjet printer
b) Chain printer
c) Laser printer
d) Thermal printer
13. The advantage of the laser printer is that
a) It is very slow
b) The output is of inferior quality
c) It cannot produce a wide range of type fonts
d) None of the above
14. Large computer systems typically use
a) Dot matrix printers
b) Inkjet printers
c) Chain printers
d) All of the above
15. To produce high quality graphics in color one would like to use
a) Plotter
b) Inkjet printers
c) Laser printer
d) All of the above
16. A microfilm roll is
a) 35 mm photographic film
b) Not perforated
c) Used to hold voluminous data
d) All of the above
17. The advantages of magnetic tape include all of he following except.
a) Low cost
b) Direct access storage medium
c) Highly reliable
d) Compact and portable
18. Laser beam technology is used for
a) Terminal
b) Optical disks
c) Keyboard
 d) Magnetic tape
19. ASCII is the abbreviation of
a) Application software code for information interchange
b) American standard code for information interchange
c) American system code for information interchange
d) American symbolic code for information interchange
20. ROM is the abbreviation of
a) Read only memory
b) Random only memory
c) Read on memory
d) All of the above
21. The memory that remains unaffected when the power is switched off is
a) ROM
b) RAM
c) Cache memory
d) Video memory
22. A group of 4 bits is called a
a) Byte
b) Word
c) Nibble
d) All of the above
23. Step by step instructions that run the computer are
a) Hardware
b) Documents
c) CPUs
d) Software
24. A software that enables users and applications to interact with the computer hardware is
called
a) Operating system
b) Application software
c) Client software
d) Database management system
25. A source program is a
a) Program written in machine language
b) Program written in a high level language
c) Program required to run a computer
d) None of the above
26. Once a program has been translated into the machine language, it is called
a) System program
b) Logical program
c) Object program
d) Application program
27. Machine language is a language
a) Understood directly by a computer
b) Needs to be translated before computer can understand it
c) In which programs were written firs
 d) Which is machine independent
28. Assembly language
a) Use mnemonics
b) Needs no translation into machine language
c) Use binary numbers only
d) None of the above
29. High level languages are similar to
a) Machine language
b) Assembly Language
c) English along with mathematical symbols
d) None of the above
30. The high level language F|ORTRAN is generally used for
a) Business applications
b) General purpose applications
c) Scientific applications
d) Process control
31. Which of the following language is most efficient
a) Assembly language
b) High level language
c) Machine language
d) All are equally efficient
32. Which one of the following is not a visual IDE
a) Delphi
b) Visual C++
c) Visual Java
d) COBOL
33. A compiler is a
a) Part of a computer
b) Program to convert a high level language into machine language
c) Source program
d) Object program
34. In computer terminology an assembler means
a) A person who assembles the computer parts
b) A hardware unit of a computer
c) A program
d) A language

Q1. What is a computer?

Ans. The word computer derived from Latin language “compute” which means “count”. A
computer is an electronic device and used for complex problems and calculations, it works in
binary number 0s and 1s. It solves the problem in three steps Input, Process and Output. It takes
data (texts, numbers, symbols, pictures and sound) from input unit like
keyboard/mouse/Joystick /scanner/mic/camera and process given data in the form of 0s or 1s and
finally gives the result on the output unit like monitor/LED/LCD/printer/speaker. It works in high
speed, accuracy and diligently. It stores huge amount of data in storage media like hard
disk/floppy disk/ CD Rom/DVD Rom / RAM / ROM and data can be retrieved from storage
media when required. Computers are used in every field of life like education, business, health
etc
Q2. Define computer science and information technology.
Computer Science:- The study of computers such as their design (Architecture) and their uses
for computations, data processing, and systems control, so the designing of computers’ hardware
and software that make up computer systems is called computer science.
Information Technology: Information Technology means the use of hardware, software with
telecommunications technology to manage and deliver information like text, voice or video etc to
other place is called I.T..

Q3.Describe any three fields of I.T.

Fields of Information Technology:
Educations:-Information technology has made academic information easily accessible at any
time. Both teachers and students are using IT to gather and exchange the study material. For
example, teachers are providing audio-visual classes to their students by using computers and
broadband internet. This breaks the boundaries of accessing information, as the student will be
able to attend a lecture without making their physical presence in the classroom. In addition, it
enables teachers to assign tasks to students through electronic mail or educational forums and
student can use online notes, using E Libraries etc.
Banks:-
Automated Teller Machine (ATM): ATM is a technology used all over the world. ATMs
enable customers to cash in at any time when they need cash, thus replacing the human
teller.
Mobile Banking: Mobile banking application is the technologies used in the banking
sectors that is offered to the customers to transfer their money and make payments.
Internet Banking: Customers access their bank accounts online to use an active internet
connection and they are able to inquiry account balances, make payments, transfer funds,
arrange international payments, make standing orders and update debit payments, and
check for updates and recent transactions.
Hospitals:-In the healthcare sectors, information technology is playing a crucial role in
providing a central database to manage patient data in the form of Electronic Health Records
(EHR) and modern software that helps to simplify medical billing and coding and streamline the
financial revenue cycle. The reasons for information technology integration in medical practice
are:
1. Assists medical practice to access accurate and actionable data that can easily be customized
to suit particular healthcare needs.
2. Allow healthcare professionals to access important patient details from medical history,
diagnosis, and previous treatment and then make an informed decision
3. The fast decision making reduces the health-related risks that can impact patients’ health
Improve the appointment scheduling, insurance verification, coding, and billing procedure

Q4. Define the characteristics of computer.

Characteristics of Computer:-
Speed: A computer is a very fast device. The computer takes a second to perform any operation.
The speed of computer is measured in micro seconds, Milliseconds, nanoseconds and
Picoseconds. A powerful computer is capable of performing about 3-4 millions simple operation
per second.
Accuracy: The accuracy of computer is very high, computer performs each and every
calculation with their same accuracy. Errors can occur in a computer but these are mainly due to
human rather than technological weakness.
Diligence: Unlike human being a computer is free from monotony, tiredness, lack of
concentration etc. and hence can work for hours together without creating any error. A computer
can perform the last calculation with exactly the same accuracy and beginning as the first one.
Versatility: Versatility is one of the most wonderful things about the computer. One moment it
can do any one operation and next moment it can perform any other operation.
Power of Remembering: Computer has the power of storing any amount of information or data.
Any information can be stored and recalled as long as we require it for any numbers of years. It
depends entirely upon us, how much data we want to store in a computer and when to lose or
retrieve these data.
No I.Q. : Computer is not a magical device. It performs only those works which man can does,
but the main difference is that computer can work those operations with very high speed and
reliable accuracy. It has no any intelligence quality or thinking power
No Feeling: Because computer is only a machine, it has no feeling like human being. It does not
have feelings or emotion, taste, knowledge and experience. It has no brain for thinking as man
can does. Man has succeeded to make computer’s memory be different inventions of technology
but couldn’t make heart.

Q5. What is computer system?

Computer System:- A system is a group of integrated parts that works together to achieve
common goal or objective. A system has more than one element, all the elements are logically
related and work for achieving same goal or task.

Q6. Define components / parts of computer System.

Ans. Components of Computer System:-
Hardware:-Hardware is the physical or tangible part of computer that we can see or touch and
they can be replaced is called hardware. It includes the CPU or Central Processing Unit, RAM,
ROM, Hard disk, CD/DVD, VGA graphics card, sound card, motherboard, cables, connectors,
power supply, peripheral devices such as keyboard, mouse etc. viruses can not affect the
computer hardware.
Software:-A set of instructions is called program and a set of programs is called software.
Software runs on the computer, which tells the computer what to do, in short, it is used by
computers to perform any given tasks by the computer. Software makes the computer usable
without software computer cannot do anything. The entire computer’s hardware is controlled by
software. Viruses can affect the software. There are two main types of software, System
Software and Application Software.
Example: Windows, Visual Basic, Microsoft word, Microsoft Excel, Adobe etc. are the
examples of Software.
Data:- Data consists of raw facts and figures, data can be words, numbers, pictures, symbols and
voice, which the computer stores and reads in the form of binary numbers i.e 0 or 1.
Procedures:-Procedures are the steps that we must follow to accomplish a specific computer
related task. Manuals containing rules and guidelines to follow when using software, hardware
and data are available.
People:-People are the computer operators, also known as users or sometimes end user. People
operate the hardware, software and network etc and create hardware, software and network etc.
put data into the computer and get result or information from computer.

Q7. Differentiate b/w Hardware and Software

HARDWARE SOFTWARE
Physical components of a computer are called A collection of instructions that tells the
hardware computer how to perform a task
Hardware has five main categories, Software has two types system software and
input, process, output, primary memory, application software
secondary memory
Hardware is tangible and touchable Software is intangible and not touchable
Hardware is developed by using electronic and Software is developed by writing instructions
other materials using a programming language
Hardware can be replaced with new Software can be reinstalled using a backup
components when it is damaged copy when it is damaged
Hardware starts functioning once the software Software starts functioning after installation
is loaded into the system
Computer viruses cannot affect hardware. Computer viruses can affect software.
Keyboard, Mouse, Joysticks, Printer, CPU, MS Office, MS SQL, Photoshop etc
RAM, ROM

Q8. Define Terminals.

Ans. A terminal is an input and output device that consists of a keyboard, display screen and
communication connection to a main computer system. Terminals are used for inputing data to
and retrieving data from a remotely located main computer system. There are three types of
terminals.
Dumb Terminals:- Dumb Terminals are used only for data entry and retrieval. They cannot
process data independently. It is used only to gain access to information from a main computer
system. Example airline reservations clerk.
Smart Terminal:- Smart terminal has some memory and hence can do limited processing as
well as data entry and retrieval. A savings and loan manger might use a smart terminal to do
simple computations on a customer’s loan application before sending it to the company main
frame computer.
Intelligent Terminals:- intelligent terminals includes processing unit, primary storage,
secondary storage such as magnetic disk and software for processing data. It can do independent
processing of their own as well as act as terminals. It is also called workstation it actually a
microcomputer with a communication link to a mainframe.

Q9. What is input devices? Describe all input device.

Ans. Input Devices: Input devices are used to enter data into a computer, users enter data into
the computer for processing through input devices like keyboard, mouse, scanner, mic, camera
etc. Input devices convert the data into computer understandable language like 0s and 1s that the
computer understand and process them by a central processing unit (CPU) to produce output.
Types Of Input Devices:
These devices can be categorized into:
1. Keyboard
2. Pointing devices
3. Scanning devices
4. and other Devices.
Keyboard: The keyboard is a input device it looks like a typewriter, it is used to enter data (text,
numbers, and commands) into a computer by pressing keys. It has different sets of keys like
character Keys consists of letters (a to z) and punctuations marks ( ?, . ; etc) used to types text
and punctuations , number keys (0-9) used to type numbers, function Keys (F1 to F12) used to
issue frequently commands to computer like F1 is used for help, control key (Arrow keys, Home,
End, Insert, Delete, Page Up, Page Down, Control(Ctrl), Alternate(Alt), Escape(Esc) and Special
keys (Enter, Shift, Caps Lock, Num Lock, Space bar, Tab, and Print Screen) used for different
purposes.
Function: When a key is pressed, an electrical signal is sent by circuits to keyboard controller /
processor which identify the location of key in character map installed in ROM and scan code is
stored in buffer, which is then processed by CPU, after that OS converts the scan code into a
specific binary character code, using "scan code to character" called the keyboard mapping table
and display on the particular software or monitor.
Scanning Devices:- Scanning devices use light sensitive equipment to record data in the form of
bar codes, optical marks, typewritten characters or magnetic ink symbols or even just plain text
or graphics. This data is then converted to electronic form that can be processed by the computer.
Image Scanners:
The scanner uses the pictures and pages of text as input. It scans the pictures or documents.
Scanners work by using a light source and a photosensitive sensor to capture the content of a
document or image. When we place the document on the scanning bed and start the scan, the
light source illuminates the document, and the sensor captures the reflected light. The sensor then
converts the light patterns into digital form 0s and 1s and send to CPU for processing. Types of
image scanner.
Flatbed Scanner:- A flatbed scanner works much like a photo copier machine. A
Flatbed Scanner consists of flat, glass surface on which we lay documents, pictures, sheet
of paper, book or other object for scanning. The scan head is moved under the glass.
Flatbed scanners scan one sheet of paper at a time.
Sheet Fed Scanner:- A sheet-fed scanner is an automatic document scanner. It works
like a fax machine. A sheet-fed scanner is a type of scanner that can scan multiple pages
at once. It works by feeding a stack of documents through the scanner. A sheet fed
scanner works by feeding documents through a set of rollers that move the document past
a scanning element. The scanning element captures an image of the document and
converts it into a digital format.
Hand held Scanner:-Hand held scanners are movable scanners that require the scanning
mechanism to be moved over the image document.
Bar Code Reader:-A bar code is data represented in the parallel lines of a universal coding
scheme. Bar codes are read by bar code readers. Barcode Reader is photo electric scanners. The
scanner converts the light energy into electrical energy, which is then converted into data by the
decoder and forwarded to a computer. There are two types of barcode reader.
Hand-held: Hand held bar-code readers are flat stick-like scanning devices that analyses
the bar codes and translate them into computer process-able data.
Stationary: Stationary bar-code readers are built into a countertop, as in the supermarket.
Optical Mark Reader (OMR): OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to recognize the
type of mark made by pen or pencil. An optical mark recognition device detects the presence or
absence of a mark and converts the data into computer readable form.
Optical Character Reader (OCR): OCR computer input device is designed to convert the
scanned handwritten characters, typed or printed text into digital text. There are two basic OCR
fonts in use OCR-A comprises 66 characters used in USA and OCR-B 113 characters used in
European computer.
Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)Magnetic ink character recognition devices read
pre-printed characters printed with special magnetic ink containing iron oxide and convert them
to computer usable form. It is widely used in banks to process the cheques.
Microphone:- Microphone is an input device that is attached to computer with sound card jack,
and used to convert sound waves into electrical waves or input sound into computer. Microphone
is also used for voice recognition which can convert voice input into digital text file. The sound
is carried out by the Analogue to Digital Convertor (ADC) on the sound card and series of binary
numbers are stored as a sound file which is processed by the CPU.

Pointing Devices (Mouse and its variants):A pointing device is an input device. It is used to
control the movement of the pointer or cursor on the screen. It can also be used for sending
command signals to the computer, selecting items on the screen, selecting commands from
commands menu. Using a pointing device, we can point at or manipulate any object or text on
the screen. For example, using a pointing device you could point at and select an icon from a list
of icons.
It includes mouse, joystick, track ball and track pad.
Mouse:-Mouse is the most commonly used pointing input device. It is used to control the cursor
or pointer on the screen. It is designed to be used on a flat surface and generally has left and right
button and a scroll wheel between them. The mouse is attached with the computer by a cable or
wireless connection. Mouse is used to open, close, drag and drop files, icons on a computer.
There are two types of mouse.
Mechanical Mouse: It has a small ball at the bottom. The ball rotates as the mouse is
rolled over a flat surface. As the mouse is rolled over the flat surface, the pointer moves
in the same direction on the screen.
Optical Mouse: It has no ball at the bottom. It uses the laser technology to detect the
mouse movement. Nowadays, it is commonly used in personal computers (PCs).
Trackball Mouse: It performs functions like a mouse but it is a stationary device. It has
moveable ball on its top. The ball is rotated or rolled with fingers or palm to move the pointer on
the screen. Like mouse, a trackball also has buttons used to send the commands to computer. The
trackball is usually available in laptop computer. It is fixed on its keyboard. It is also available as
separate input device.
Joystick: A joystick is an input device and also called pointing device it is commonly used to
control video games. Joysticks consist of a base and a stick that can be moved in any direction
right, left, up and down. The stick can be moved slowly or quickly and in different amounts.
Joysticks typically connect to your computer using a basic USB or serial port connection
Touch screen:-A touch screen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and
location of a touch (usually by a finger or hand) within the display area. A touch screen is a
display device that allows users to interact with a computer using their finger or stylus.
Light Pen:- The light pen consists of a light sensitive pen-like device that enters commands into
a special display screen when the user touches the screen with the pen. The tip of pen contains a
light-sensitive element. This device also contains a button. Light pens are frequently used by
illustrators, graphic designers, and drafting engineers.
Digitizing Tablet:- A digitizer tablet, also known as a graphics tablet or drawing tablet, it is an
input device used by artists, designers, and engineers, it consists of a flat surface and a stylus or
pen-like instrument that is used to draw images, animations, graphics, sketches, and handwritten
signature or notes on the flat drawing surface of digitizing tablet. The device captures the
movements and pressure applied by the stylus and converted them into digital form that is
processed by the computer. It is covered by a grid of tiny wires and connected by cable to the
computer.
Pen-based computers: pen based computer, that uses software to enable to accept handwriting
or drawing as a form of input. A stylus
contains special electronic circuitry, is used to write on the
Computer-display or on a separate tablet, which then interpreted the hand writing and displays
the result on the screen in printed form.

Q10. What is CPU? Define its role and define its components.
Ans. Central Process Unit (CPU):-Central Process Unit (CPU) is also called Microprocessor.
CPU is the brain of computer. It is made up of silicon containing millions of tiny
transistors, these transistors manipulate data. It fetches data from RAM, decodes it and executes
data, all the calculations are done in this section with high speed and accuracy. The speed is
measured in Hz. It also produces the address bit needed by memory. It consists of an
arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), a control unit (CU), various registers, clock and
cache memory.
Control Unit: The Control Unit, controls, directs and coordinates of all parts of the computer
like input, output, memory, and ALU units to perform operations/tasks. It manages the flow of
instructions and data between various components and makes sure that data or instructions are
moved properly among different components. It acts like traffic police. The Control Unit does
not execute the instructions. It Fetches instructions from RAM, decodes instructions to determine
what operation to be performed, if required arithmetic and logic operations it sends to ALU and
Controlling and coordinating the execution of instructions
Arithmetic Logic Unit: ALU stands for the Arithmetic and Logic Unit. This unit is responsible
for mathematical, logical, and decision operations. This unit is divided into two main parts or
groups of functions. The arithmetic portion performs the mathematical operations including
addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The logic portion performs operations
comparing, selecting, matching, and merging data and information.
Clock: The clock refers to a microchip that regulates the timing and speed of all computer
functions. Clock generates pulses and instructions are executed on the basis of pulses. Clock
speed is measure in MHz and GHz.
Registers: CPU contains registers, registers are temporary holding area, they are small in size
and hold only few bytes at a time. The size of register determines how many bits can be
processed at once by CPU it may be 16 bits, 32 bits and 64 bits. The registers are used to quickly
transfer data and instructions that are being used immediately by the CPU. They assist ALU and
CU in different operations
Cache: Cache is an intermediate storage area, which is available inside microprocessor or on
motherboard. The immediate processed information is stored in cache, the operations of a CPU
is much faster and RAM is much slower than the CPU. It reduces the time required to fetch a
small amount of data, instead of fetching data from RAM, the CPU fetches data from the cache
memory. It also stores data temporarily.

Q11. How computer represent data?

Ans. When we write documents, we use the letters, numbers, voice, picture and symbols the
computer cannot understand these data. These data are converted into the binary form that is 0s
and 1s to process data. The binary form 0s and 1s are basically ON or OFF of the electric signal
which flow in computer through circuits. The 1 is represented as ON and 0 is represent OFF.
Example:- the letter E is represented by electrical switches as 01000101 (off-on-off-off-off-on-
off-on)
Each 0 and 1 in the binary system is called a bit. The bit is the basic unit for storing data in
computer memory. The bits are put together in a group called byte. There are usually 8 bits in a
byte.
In computing, a single character such as a letter, a number or a symbol is represented by a group
of bits. The number of bits per character depends on the coding scheme used.
1. Binary Coded Decimal (BCD),
2. Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) and
3. American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII).

Q12. Define bit, byte, kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte, terabyte and word.
BIT:-Bit is short for 'binary digit.' It's a single digit in a binary number, and it can be either 1 or
0.
Inside a computer, which can be either switched ON or OFF.
BYTE:-The byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of eight bits.
KILOBYTE:- Kilobyte is equal to 1024 bytes. Thus, the memory of a 640K can store
640X1024 or 655360 bytes.
MEGABYTE:- A Megabyte is equal to 1024 KB or 1048576 bytes.
GIGABYTE:- A Gigabyte is equal to 1024 MB or 1073241824 bytes.
TERABYTE:- A Terabyte is equal to 1024 GB or 1009511627776 bytes.
WORD:-Word size" refers to the number of bits processed by a computer's CPU in one go (these
days, typically 32 bits or 64 bits). Data bus size, instruction size, address size are usually
multiples of the word size.

Q13. Define binary coding schemes.

Ans. Characters are stored in computer memory using numeric representations. Each character is
assigned a unique numeric value based on the character encoding scheme used, such as ASCII or
Unicode. The numeric value is stored as binary data in memory, typically using a fixed number
of bits. The specific representation depends on the encoding scheme and the architecture of the
computer system.
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange code (EBCDIC)
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange code (EBCDIC) is an 8-bit character-coding
scheme used primarily on IBM computers. A total of 256 characters can be coded using this
scheme. For example, the symbolic representation of letter A using Extended Binary Coded
Decimal Interchange code is 11000001.
American standard code for information interchange (ASCII)
American standard code for information interchange (ASCII) is a 7-bit code, which means that
only 128 characters can be represented. However, manufactures have added an eight bit to this
coding scheme, which can now provide for 256 characters. This 8-bit coding scheme is referred
to as an 8-bit American standard code for information interchange. The symbolic representation
of letter ‘A’ using this scheme is 1000001 for 7 bits and 10100001 for 8 bits ASCII.

Q14. Define the parity bit use to check errors

Ans. Data moves from one component to other components in computer and one computer to
another computer through network. Data is transmitted in binary form 0s and 1s in the ON state
and OFF state, there may be errors occurred during transmission of data bits in form of 0s and 1s.
The errors can be detected by the parity bit or check bit. The parity bit is a single bit 0 or 1 that
extra bit is added to the end of each byte. The code itself determines whether the parity bit is 0 or
1. Thus in 8 bits data the parity bit is the ninth bit, there are two types of parity bit even parity bit
and odd parity bit. If the number of 1 bits in any bite is odd, the parity bit is automatically turned
ON or set to 1, if the number of 1 bits is even, the parity bit is set to 0.
Example:- letter S (10110011) contains five 1s, the ninth bit which is parity bit would be 1,
letter C (10100011) contains four 1s, the ninth bit would be 0. If all bits will not be received
properly the error will shown and the data will be transmit again.
Note:- parity checking is guaranteed to detect an error only if exactly one bit is transmitted
incorrectly. If two bits were transmitted incorrectly, the error would not be detected, because the
number of 1 bits would still be even for even parity and odd for odd parity computers, to detect
multiple errors a scheme called longitudinal parity can be used.

Q15: Define system unit?

Ans. System Unit: A System Unit is the part of a desktop computer that contains the primary
devices. The system unit performs operations and produces results for complex calculations.
Components of System Unit: It includes the:
1. Power Supply
2. Motherboard
3. CPU
4. RAM and Other components
As well as the case in which these devices are enclosed

Q16. Define power supply.

Ans. Power supply is a box inside the system unit that provides electrical power to all
components in system unit. It converts 220 volt main AC supply to the required 5 or 12 volt DC
supply which computer components use. If the monitor is connect with power supply, the power
supply also provide electricity to it. Power supply contains with fan that prevents the system and
components from over-heating.

Q17. Define motherboard.

Motherboard: The motherboard is the main board which connects different parts of computer.
We can find CPU, memory slots, expansion slots and a number of chipsets on motherboard.
Motherboards are made of layered fiberglass. These layers contain copper lines that form the
circuitry by which electrical signals are provided to all parts of computer. Various components of
computer may be attached, detached and upgraded on motherboard. According to need of the
user. Motherboards also have connectors called ports. These ports are used to connect input,
output and other peripheral devices. Just like nervous system it allows communication between
all parts of the computer.
Components Of Motherboard: It includes the following general components:
a) Microprocessor (CPU)
b) Slots
c) Ports
d) Buses
e) RAM and ROM
f) Other electronic components for example resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, jumpers,
chipset etc.

Q18. Define expansion slots.

Ans. Slots:- An expansion slot is a connection point with a computer motherboard, where an
additional component can be added to the computer, users can add extra functionality when the
need arises. The functionality could be a better video display, higher processing speed,
better gaming capabilities, higher memory, etc

Q19. What is port? Enlist its types.

Ports:-Ports are used to connect input, output and other peripheral devices to the computer.
for example, we need a port on our device to connect a keyboard, mouse, printer, etc. So, ports
act as an interface or a point of attachment between computer and external devices. It is also
called a communication port, as it is the point where we plug in a peripheral device to allow data
transfer or communication between the device and computer. There are three types of port.
Serial Port:-This port connects external devices like external modem etc to the computer using
the serial protocol. Only one bit of data can be transferred in this port at a time, there are 9 pin
and 25 pin model are available. Data travels at a speed of 115 kilobits per second.
Parallel Port: In this port, several bits of data can be transferred between the computer and the
external device at the same time, so it is called Parallel Port which allows Parallel
communication. These are basically used to connect devices like scanners and printers. These are
also known as printer ports.
There is a 25 pin model available. Data travels at a speed of 150 kilobits per second.
USB Port:-Through USB port, we can connect almost all types of external devices like hard
disk, printer, monitors, keyboards, mouse, etc. The data travels at the speed of 14mb/s. Today, it
has replaced PS/2 connectors, game ports, serial and parallel ports, etc. Most computers provide
two types of USB ports – USB Type A and USB Type C. USB port allows peripheral devices to
be connected or disconnected even while the PC is running. USB is a plug and play which allows
peripheral devises and expansion cards to be automatically configured while they are being
installed. 127 devices are connected in a single port.

Q20. Define RAM and its types.

Ans. RAM:RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It is the main memory or primary storage,
it is a volatile memory, it loses data when power is turned off. RAM is used to store programs
and data that the CPU is needed for processing because CPU does not access any input devices
or secondary storage device directly for processing. RAM stores data randomly and can be
retrieved at random from anywhere in a RAM chip in equal amounts of time. In a RAM where
the operating system (OS)and drivers are loaded into memory, which allows the CPU (central
processing unit) to process instructions faster and speed up the boot process, application
programs and data in current use are kept so that they can be quickly reached to processor for
processing.RAM capacity is measured in KB, MB and GB.
SRAM:-The word Static Random Access Memory that the data stays in the memory but only till
the power supply is ON. Furthermore, it is a chip having 6 transistors and no capacitors.
DRAM:-Dynamic Random Access Memory, in this memory we have to refresh it, again and again,
to store the data. it consists of only one transistor and one capacitor
SIMM:-SIMM stands for Single In-line Memory Module. It supports 32 bit channel for data
transfer. It provides storage space of about 4 MB to 64 MB. It has RAM chips on only one side
so it stores data only one side.
DIMM:-DIMM stands for Dual In-line Memory Module. It supports 64 bit channel for data
transfer. DIMM provides the storage 32 MB to 1 GB. It has RAM chips on both sides so it stores
data both sides.

Q21. Define virtual memory in computer

Ans. Virtual memory in which part of a program is stored on disk and is brought into memory
only as needed. Virtual memory is a technique used by computers to expand their available
memory by using a combination of physical RAM and disk space. It enables programs to use
more memory than is physically installed, improving the performance of large applications and
multitasking. Virtual memory allows your computer to use a portion of the hard drive space as if
it were actual RAM. When the physical RAM fills up, the operating system shifts some of the
older or less frequently accessed data to this virtual memory, freeing up actual RAM for more
pressing tasks
Q22. Define video memory.
Ans. Video memory or video RAM chips are used to store display images for the monitor. The
amount of video memory determines how fast images appear and how many colors are available.
Video memory chips are particularly desirable if we are running programs that display a lot of
graphics.

Q23. Define ROM. What are its types?

Read Only Memory (ROM) is a type of computer memory it is used to store data permanently,
the data is stored in ROM can never be changed or modified, it is stored in at the time of
manufacturing. ROM is non-volatile memory, the stored data will never be wiped out or lost
even when power is turned off. The information about the computer is stored in ROM. ROM is
typically used to store the computer’s BIOS (basic input/output system), which contains the
instructions for booting the computer, as well as firmware for other hardware devices. In other
words the contents of ROMs are installed by the manufactures. There are three types of ROM.
PROM : Short for programmable read-only memory, a memory chip on which data can be
written only once. Once a program has been written onto a PROM, it remains there forever.
EPROM : Acronym for erasable programmable read-only memory. The ultraviolet light clears
its contents, making it possible to reprogram the memory. To write to and erase an EPROM, you
need a special device called a PROM programmer or PROM burner.
EEPROM : Short form of electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. EEPROM is a
special type of PROM that can be erased by exposing it to an electrical charge.

Q24. Differentiate between volatile memory and no volatile memory.

Volatile Memory Non-Volatile Memory

Volatile memory is the type of memory in which Non-volatile memory is the type of memory
data is lost as it is powered-off. in which data remains stored even if it is
powered-off.

The data in volatile memory is not permanent. The data in volatile memory is permanent.

It is faster than non-volatile memory. It is slower than volatile memory.

It has less storage capacity. It has high storage capacity.

Data transfer in volatile memory is easier. Data transfer in non-volatile memory is

difficult.

Volatile memory has a high impact on the Non-Volatile memory has no impact on the
performance of the system. performance of the system.
 In volatile memory, both read and write operations In non-volatile memory, only a read operation
can be performed. can be performed.

Volatile memory is expensive per unit size. It is less expensive.

The chips of volatile memory are kept in the memory While chips of the non-volatile memory are
slot. embedded on the motherboard.

In volatile memory, the processor has direct access to In non-volatile memory, the processor does not
data. have direct access to data.

Some common examples of volatile memory The common examples of Non-volatile

are RAM and Cache memory. memory are ROM (Random Access
Memory) and HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

Q25. Difference b/w RAM and ROM

S.No. RAM ROM
1. It is a Random-Access Memory. It is a Read Only Memory.
Read and write operations can be
2. Only Read operation can be performed.
performed.
Data is lost in RAM when the power Data is not lost in ROM when the power is switched
3.
switched off. off.
4. It is a faster and expensive memory. It is a slower and less expensive memory.
Storage data requires to be refreshed in
5. Storage data does not need to be refreshed in ROM.
RAM.
The size of the chip is bigger than the ROM The size of the chip is smaller than the RAM chip to
6.
chip to store the data. store the same amount of data.
7. It is temporary memory. It is permanent memory.
This is used to store data and instructions
8. It stores the major setting of computer permanently.
temporarily.
9. Types of RAM: DRAM and SRAM Types of ROM: MROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM

Q26. Difference Between Primary Memory and Secondary Memory

S.No. Primary Memory Secondary Memory
1. It is also known as temporary memory. It is also known as a permanent memory.
Data can be access directly by the processor or
2. Data cannot be accessed directly by the CPU.
CPU.
Stored data can be a volatile or non-volatile The nature of secondary memory is always non-
3.
memory. volatile.
4. It is more costly than secondary memory. It is less costly than primary memory.
5. It is a faster memory. It is a slower memory.
6. It has limited storage capacity. It has a large storage capacity.
 It required the power to retain the data in It does not require power to retain the data in
7.
primary memory. secondary memory.
Examples of primary memory are RAM, ROM, Examples of secondary memory are CD, DVD,
8.
Registers, EPROM, PROM and cache memory. HDD, magnetic tapes, flash disks, pen drive, etc.
Q27. What is output devices? Describe all output devices.
Output Devices: Output devices are hardware components that produce processed result on the
screen, printer, speaker or any other devices and they also translate processed data into user
readable form that can be understood by the human.
Monitor
1. CRT Monitor
2. LCD Monitor
3. LED Monitor
4. Plasma Monitor
Monitor: The monitor is the display unit or screen of the computer. It is the main output device
that displays the processed data or information as text, images, audio or video. It looks like a T.V.
The types of monitors are given below.
CRT Monitor: CRT monitors are based on the cathode ray tubes. They are like vacuum tubes
which produce images in the form of video signals. Cathode rays tube produces a beam of
electrons through electron guns that hits on the inner phosphorescent surface of the screen to
produce images on the screen. The monitor contains millions of phosphorus dots of red, green
and blue color. These dots start to glow when struck by electron beams and this phenomenon is
called cathode luminescence.
Resolution:- Resolution refers to image clarity. Resolution is determined by the number of
pixels in the screen which turn ON or OFF, each pixel has colors. A screen resolution of 640×480
means the screen has 640 horizontal and 480 vertical rows. This gives the screen 307200 points
or pixels each forming images.
Pixels:-A pixel is the smallest unit of a digital image or graphic that can be displayed and
represented on a digital display device. Pixels are combined to form a complete image, video,
text, or any visible thing on a computer display.
Types of CRT Monitor:-
Monochrome CRT Monitor:-Monochrome monitors actually display two colors, one for the
background and one for the foreground. The colors can be black and white, green and black or
amber and black.
Gray-scale:- A gray scale monitor is a special type of monochrome monitor capable of
displaying different shades of gray.
Colour CRT Monitor:- Colour CRT monitor has three electron guns red, green and blue. The
screen of CRT monitor contains with pixels, each pixel or dot made up of three tiny red, green
and blue phosphors. When the beam of these guns are combined and focused on a point on the
screen, the phosphors at that point light up to create a visible image. Different colors display by
combining of three beams.
The common color and resolution standards for monitors are
SVGA:A SVGA( Super Video Graphics Array) supports resolution of 800×600 pixels,
producing 16 million possible colors.
XGA: An XGA (Extended Graphics Array) has a resolution of up to 1024×768 pixels, with
65536 possible colors.
SXGA: An SXGA (Super Extended Graphics Array) has resolution of 1280×1024 pixels,
UXGA: An UXGA (Ultra Extended Graphics Array) has resolution of 1600×1200 pixels
Flat Panel Display Monitor:- A flat panel display is like a TV or Monitor, that uses a thin panel
design instead of a cathode ray tube (CRT). These screens are much lighter, thinner and portable
than CRT monitor. It has higher screen resolution than CRT monitor. Several display
technologies have been developed for FPDs, such as liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma
display panel (PDP), light emitting diode (LED), organic light emitting device (OLED) and field
emission display (FED).
LCD Monitor: The LCD monitor is a flat panel screen that is light-weight, consume less
electricity, occupied less space and display clear images produce less eye strain as compare to
CRT monitor. It is based on Liquid Crystal Display technology which is used in the screens of
laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc. An LCD screen comprises with backlight CCFL ( Cold
Cathode Fluorescent Lamps) long thin tube placed at opposite edges of the display produce light
for the images appears in LCD , and the Vertical Polarizer Filter is placed which passes only
vertical light to the Liquid Crystal Layer which twists the light horizontally 90 degree, the T.F.N(
Thin-Film-Transistor) improve image qualities and control Liquid Crystal that how much light
will be passed, after that the horizontal polarized filter is placed which passes horizontal light.
The RGB color filter is placed in LCD panel which is divide into grid of tiny pixels each pixels
has sub pixels red green and blue. These sub pixels are building blocks for displaying color on
the screen, there is a color filter which controls all the colors and light will be passed or not or
how many colors will be passed, we can calculate pixels color separately and different colors
will be displayed on screen.
.
LED monitor: The LED (Light Emitting Diode) monitor is an improved version of an LCD
monitor. It has also a flat panel display and uses liquid crystal display technology, polarized
filters and color filter like the LCD monitors. The difference between them is source of light to
backlight the display. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor uses CCFL (Cold Cathode
Fluorescent Lighting) long thin tube but the LED monitor has many LED panels, and each panel
has several LEDs instead of CCFL to illuminate the display screen.
Plasma Monitor: The plasma monitor is also a flat panel display that is based on plasma display
technology. It has small tiny cells between two glass panels. These cells contain mixtures of
noble gases and a small amount of mercury. When voltage is applied, the gas in the cells turns
into a plasma and emits ultraviolet light that creates images on the screen.
Projector: A projector is an output device that enables the user to project the output onto a large
surface such as a big screen or wall. It can be connected to a computer and similar devices to
project their output onto a screen. It uses light and lenses to produce magnified texts, images, and
videos. So, it is an ideal output device to give presentations or to teach a large number of people.
Speaker: Speaker is an output device that is attached to the computer with sound card jack.
Main use of this device is to output the sound. Speaker can be connected with a computer via
USB cable or use wireless Bluetooth. Some speakers can have advanced features like bass and
treble control which is used for sound equalization. The digital sound data is processed by CPU
and passes the data to the DSP on the sound card. The DSP uncompressed the digital sound data
and processes in real-time by a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit chip, creating an analog
signal that we can hear in the through speakers.
Soft Copy Output Devices: It is screen display or voice output. It is volatile output and lost
when other output is shown or computer is turned off. Example OF Soft Copy Output Devices:
Following are some of the devices used to give output in soft form.
Hard Copy Output Devices: It is output on paper. It is nonvolatile output that is relatively
stable and permanent form. Example OF Hard Copy Output Devices:
Hard Copy Output Devices are:
Printer: A printer is a output device that is used to generate hard copy and print any document.
A document can be of any type such as a text file, image, or the combination of both. It accepts
input command by users on a computer or on other devices to print the documents. Based on the
printing mechanism, the printers are of two types: Impact Printers and Non-impact Printers.
Impact Printer
 1. The impact printer uses a hammer, print head or wheel to print the character or images
onto the paper. Impact printer made impact on paper so it can produce carbon copies.
2. The hammer / wheel or print head strikes or presses an ink ribbon against the paper to
print characters and images.
3. This mechanism is known as electro-mechanical mechanism.
4. Impact printer make a lot of noise
5. Impact printers work slowly as compare to non-impact printer.
6. The common types of impact printers are Dot matrix, Daisy Wheel etc
Dot-Matrix Printer: Dot matrix printer contains a print-head with a matrix of small pins
arranged in rows and columns. A typical matrix is 5×7 that five dots wide and seven dots high
which presses the inked ribbon against paper. Dot matrix printer produces output on paper by
pressing pins against an ink ribbon. A dot matrix printer uses 100 to 300 dots per inch (DPI) to
print output on the paper. Print-heads are available with 9, 18 or 24 pins. As compared to laser
and inkjet printers, it is less used, as its printing speed slow and generates lower quality
images. The speed is 30 to 1100 characters per second.
Daisy Wheel:- A daisy wheel printer uses a daisy wheel, a wheel with each petal contains an
embossed character. A motor spins the wheel at a high rate. When the desired character at the end
of the petal reaches the 12:O’clock position, it is hammered onto an inked ribbon which strikes
the paper, transferring the character to paper. It does not produce graphics. Their printing speed is
slow, about 10-75 characters per second. It provides high resolution result comparison as dot
matrix so it is called letter quality printer.
Drum Printer:-The drum printer consists of a cylindrical steel drum and characters are
embossed on its surface to print. Each column on the drum contains all the possible characters i.e
96,120,132 and 160 characters per line, Hammers are attached with each character. The drum
rotates at high speed, the hammer wait for desired character, when character appears in front of
hammer. The hammer strike on the paper along with ribbon (ribbon is placed between hammer
and drum) the character prints on the paper. The printing speed is fast 300-2000 lines per.
Chain Printer:- It is the character printer. The print element in a chain printer is a metallic band
or chain containing the embossed characters that rotates horizontally in front of paper. A
complete chain consists of the five sections; each section consists of 48 characters. As the print
chain rotates, properly timed print hammers strike the paper along with linked ribbon, against the
proper character on the chain as it passes. Chain printer are one of the fastest impact printers that
can produce up to 400 to 2500 characters per second. Chain Printer also called band printers,
contain characters on a rotation band. Speeds of up to 3000 lines a minute may be possible with
these machines.
Non-Impact Printer:
1. Non-impact printers don't print characters or images by striking a print head or hammer
on the ink ribbon placed against the paper. Non Impact printer made no impact on paper
so it cannot produce carbon copies.
2. They print using electrostatic, inkjet, and thermal technologies .
3. Non-Impact printers are faster and produce high quality output than impact printers.
4. They produce no noise during printing.
5. These printers can print a complete page at a time,
6. They are also known as page printers
7. They print characters and images without direct physical contact between the paper and
the printing machinery.
 8. The common types of non-impact printers are Laser printer and Inkjet printer:
Ink-Jet Printer:-Inkjet printer is non impact character printer. Inkjet printer has print-head that
can spray very fine drops of ink. Inkjet printer has print cartridge filled with liquid ink, cyan,
magenta, yellow, and black color. The characters and graphics are printed by spraying small
drops of ink onto paper, for spraying drops nozzles are used. There are four nozzles in colour ink
jet printer. Droplets of ink are electrically charged after leaving a nozzle when it passes through
an electric field. The resolution of these printers ranges from 300 to 720 dpi. Inkjet printers print
at speeds ranging from 1 to 6 pages per minute. Inkjet printers are less expensive than laser
printers. They are fast and produce high quality than dot matrix printer but slower and low-
quality prints than laser printers.
Laser Printer: The laser printer has a special drum inside it. first the image of output is created
on the drum, printer that utilizes a laser beam to produce an image on a drum. The light of the
laser alters the electrical charge on the drum wherever it hits. The drum is then rolled through a
reservoir of toner, which is picked up by the charged portions of the drum. Finally, the toner is
transferred to the paper through a combination of heat and pressure and then it is transferred
from drum to paper.
These dots can be from 300 dpi to 1200 dpi .The Laser printer can print both text and graphics in
very high quality resolution. Laser printer prints one page at a time. The laser printers are,
therefore also called page printers. The printing speed of laser printer is about 4 to 32 pages per
minute for microcomputer and up to 200 pages per minute for mainframe computers.
Thermal Printer:-The printer that produces images by pushing electrically heated pins against
special heat sensitive paper, is known as thermal printer. This type of printer uses a special heat
sensitive paper. These papers have a special heat sensitive coating. When a spot on the special
paper is heated, it becomes dark, the heat sensitive paper is chemically treated paper. In this type
of printer neither the ink nor the ribbon is involved. To print a character the printing head is
moved first to the correct character position. Then the heating elements of desired character are
turned on. After a short time they are turned off. There after the print head is moved to the next
character. Such printers have a speed of about 200 characters per second.
Plotter:-Plotter is a special type of output device. Plotter uses a pen, pencil, or marker to draw
continuous lines for creating an image on the paper such as map, construction, drawing,
advertising, hoardings etc . Plotter can produce the image in high quality and high-resolution
output on large sheets. Size of the plotters is large and more expensive than traditional printers.
Pen Plotter:- Pen Plotters, use colored pens to draw on paper. Such plotters may be drum plotters
in which the paper is rolled on a drum as pens are held against it. Or they may be flatbed plotters
in which the paper is held steady as he pen moves around on the paper.
Drum Plotter: A drum plotter is a pen plotter that wraps the paper around a drum with a pin
feed attachment. The drum then rotates the paper as pens move across it and draw the image. It
was the first output device used to print graphics and large engineering drawings
Flat-Bed Plotter: A flat-bed plotter is a mechanical drafting device used with many CAD
programs for designers. The paper remains stationary on a flat surface while a pen moves across
it horizontally and vertically. This plotter may use several different pen colors to create the
graphics
Electrostatic Plotters: They use electrostatic charges to create images out of very small dots on specially
treated paper. The paper is run through a developer to allow the image to appear. These are faster than pen
plotters and can produce images of very high resolution
Thermal Plotter: Thermal plotters use electrically heated pens and heat sensitive paper to create
images. Though high in quality, they produce only two colors.
Q28. Differentiate b/w hard copy and soft copy
S.No. HARD COPY SOFT COPY
01 The permanent printed on the paper is The Display on the screen is called softcopy
called hard copy
02 This type of output is tangible or it can be This type of output is intangible or it cannot
touched be touched
03 It is a permanent copy It is temporary copy
04 It is not editable copy It is editable copy
05 Printers and plotters are commonly used Monitors and speakers are commonly used
to produce hard copy to produce softcopy
06 Hard copy has weight Soft copy has no weight
07 Hard copy takes space Soft copy has lesser space
Q29. Differentiate b/w input device and output device
S.No. Input Device Output Device
After processing on the given data the CPU
We send / feed data to the computer through input
1. sends data or information on the output
devices
devices.
After processing given data by CPU, output
It converts data into digital form like 0s and 1s which is
2. devices convert data or information into
acceptable by computer for processing
human readable form.
3. An input device can be commanded by the user. Processor commands output device.
The output device takes the processed data
It accepts data from the user as an input and forwards it
4. from the processor and sending it back to
to the processor for further processing.
the user.
As compared to input devices, its design is
5. Its design is more complex.
less complex.
There are various input devices available like There are several output devices available
6. Microphone, Joystick, Keyboard, Pointing device, such as Speakers, Printers, Plotters,
Image Scanner, Graphics tablet, and more. Projector, Monitor and more.

Q30. What is meant by primary and secondary storage/memory? Define their types
Primary Storage Devices:-Primary storage devices are used by computer during processing.
They are quite smaller in storage capacity than secondary devices. Most primary storage devices
are found inside the computer and they have the fastest access to data. Primary storages devices
are temporary or volatile, they hold data when the power is on and they lost data when the power
is off. It is generally made up of semiconductor device. The data and instruction are received
from input unit or secondary unit resides in the main memory or primary memory which is
required to be processed by the processor. It is divided into two subcategories RAM and ROM.
Types of Primary Memory:-
RAM and ROM are already discussed
Secondary Storage Devices:-This type of secondary storage devices is known as external
devices or non-volatile. Secondary storage devices have a larger storage capacity than primary
storage devices and store data permanently. Users save their data on secondary storage devices.
Secondary storage do not lose their data when the power is off. The access of data is slower than
the primary storage devices. CPU directly does not access these devices. The data of secondary
devices are first transferred to the primary storage device i.e RAM, and then the CPU can access
it. For example, Floppy Disk, Hard Disk, CD and DVD, SD card and USB flash disk.
Floppy Disk – A floppy disk refers to a magnetic disk in a square plastic container and round
film inside the plastic shell is flexible. It is primarily used to store information and then transfer
it from one device to another. The data on a floppy disk is recorded as magnetic spots. The disk
is made of a special plastic coated with ferrous oxide which can be easily magnetized. There are
two sizes of floppy discs (a) Size: 3.5 inches, 1.44 MB storage capacity, double density and high
density (b) Size: 5.25 inches and 1.2 MB storage capacity, Single density. Density means the
number of bits per inch (bpi) of data that can be written onto the surface of a disk. The data is
stored on circular tracks and the magnetic head moves radially to read or write each track. Each
track is divided into sectors.
Hard Disk :- Hard Disk, also called Hard Disk Drive (HDD), it is secondary storage device,
permanent and non-volatile disk, means the data is stored in hard disk will never be lost even the
power is disconnected. Huge amount of data can be stored in disk. All type of data like
documents, videos, audios and images are stored and retrieve when it is required by the user. it
is connected to the computer motherboard using data cables (PATA, SCSI, SATA). Hard Disk
uses magnetic storage to store and retrieve data.

Hard drives need a read only memory (ROM) controller board to instruct the read/write heads
how, when and where to move across the platters. Hard drives have disks called platters stacked
together coated with magnetic material and further divided into sectors and tracks on which data
is stored magnetically in the form of 0s and 1s and accessed the stored data randomly by the
users, all tracks are the same distance from the center of the disk, they comprise one cylinder, the
data is addressed by surface number, sector number and track number, two or more sectors are
used together to store data is called cluster. Platters are connected to a central spindle or shaft
which spin with the help of motor. The disks rotate 7200 RPM and all disks rotate in same time
but only one disk is being read or written at a time. The read/write heads are controlled by an
actuator, which magnetically reads from and writes to the surface of the platters. Both sides of
the platters are used to store data each platter has two heads. Data is written to a disk starting at
the outermost track. The read/write heads move inward to the next cylinder once the first
cylinder is filled. A hard drive is divided into one of more partitions, which can be further
divided into logical drives or volumes. Usually a master boot record (MBR) is found at the
beginning of the hard drive and contains a table of partition information. Each logical drive
contains a boot record, a file allocation table (FAT) and a root directory for the FAT file system.
Solid State Drive:- An SSD, or solid-state drive, is a type of storage device used in computers.
This non-volatile storage media stores data on solid-state flash memory. SSDs replace traditional
hard disk drives (HDDs) in computers and perform the same basic functions as a hard drive. But
SSDs are significantly faster in comparison. With an SSD, the device's operating system will
boot up more rapidly, programs will load quicker and files can be saved faster and reduces power
consumption.
Data is stored in memory cells within NAND flash chips, each NAND flash memory chip
consists of an array of blocks, also known as a grid, and within each block, there is an array of
memory cells, known as pages or sectors. The number of bits stored in each cell. The SSD
controller manages read/write operations and data distribution. When your computer needs to
access data, the controller quickly retrieves it from the appropriate cells. For writing data, the
controller finds available cells and stores the information electronically.
Note:- There are two types of flash memory, NOR and NAND. Both contain cells — transistors
— in a grid, but the wiring between the cells differs. In NOR flash, the cells are wired in
parallel. In NAND flash, the cells are wired in a series. Because NOR cells contain more wires,
they're bigger and more complex. NAND cells require fewer wires and can be packed on a chip
in greater density.
they are typically categorized as in two flavors based on how many 1s and 0s can be stored in
each cell. Single-level cell (SLC) NAND stores one bit — either a 1 or a 0 — per cell. Multi-
level cell (MLC) NAND stores two bits per cell. MLC flash delivers higher storage capacity.
SSDs read and write data to an underlying set of interconnected flash memory chips. These chips
use floating gate transistors (FGTs) to hold an electrical charge, which enables the SSD to store
data even when it is not connected to a power source. Each FGT contains a single bit of data,
designated either as a 1 for a charged cell or a 0 if the cell has no electrical charge.
USB/ Flash Drive:-A USB/ flash drive / pen drive is available in a variety of storage capacities,
including 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 GB, and 1 TB. It is a portable data storage media. Data is
transferred from one device to other device and data can be stored in it. To use a flash drive, it
must be plugged into a computer’s USB port. A flash drive is quite popular nowadays because it
is simple to use and small in size.
SD Card:-A Secure Digital Card (SD Card) is commonly used to store data in portable devices
such as cell phones and cameras. It comes in a variety of capacities, including 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32,
and 64 GB. You can access the data present in the SD card by removing it from the device and
inserting it into a computer using a card reader. The data in the SD card is stored in memory
chips (which are included in the SD card), and there are no moving elements like there are on a
hard disc.
Magnetic Tape:- Magnetic Tape is a type of data storage used to store and access digital
information. It is a sequential access storage medium, meaning data is read or written
sequentially. The tape consists of a thin, plastic strip coated with a magnetic material, iron oxide.
Data is stored on the tape in the form of magnetic fields created by the particles of the magnetic
material in a specific pattern. These fields can be read and written by a magnetic tape drive,
which uses a magnetic read/write head to detect and alter the magnetic fields on the tape.
CD (Compact Disk):- A Compact Disc or the CD is a type of secondary storage media that is
widely utilized. It is used to hold text, graphics, sound and videos. The stored data cannot be
altered or erased by the user. Its surface is covered in tracks and sectors. It is composed of
polycarbonate plastic and has a round form. CDs have a data storage capacity of up to 700 MB.
A CD is also known as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory) because computers can
read the data on it but not write new data onto it. A laser beam is used to read the data. To store
data on a CD, they need to be burned.
Types of Compact Disks
There are three types of CDs available:
CD-R: CD-R full form is Compact Disc – Recordable. This type of compact disc can be written
only once and can not erased.
CD-ROM: CD-ROM stands for Compact Disk-Read Only Memory. This disks are read once,
after read it is use as a ROM, that is cannot be updated later.
CD-RW: CD-RW full form is Compact Disc-Re-Writable. This type of compact disc can be
written multiple times and can be erased also, like Pendrive.
DVD(Digital Versatile Disk):- DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disk. It resembles a CD, but it
has a larger storage capacity; up to 4.7 GB of data can be stored. To use a DVD on a computer, a
DVD-ROM drive is required. Video files, such as movies or video recordings, are commonly
saved on DVDs, which may be played with a DVD player. There are three different kinds of
DVDs available:

Q31. Differentiate b/w SSD vs HDD

Feature SSD HDD
Storage method Flash memory chips Magnetic platters
Read/write Mechanical (spinning disk and read/write
Electronic
mechanism head)
Speed Very fast Slower
Noise Silent Some noise from moving parts
Durability More resistant to physical shock More vulnerable to physical damage
Power consumption Lower Higher
Cost per GB Higher (but decreasing) Lower

Q32. Define Software? Explain its different types. OR Define different types of system
software?
Software:-A set of instructions is called program and a set of programs is called software.
Software runs on the computer, which tells the computer what to do, in short, it is used by
computers to perform any given tasks by the computer. Software makes the computer usable
without software computer cannot do anything. The entire computer’s hardware is controlled by
software. Viruses can affect the software. There are two main types of software, System
Software and Application Software.
Example: Windows, Visual Basic, Microsoft word, Microsoft Excel, Adobe etc. are the
examples of Software. There are two main types of software, System Software and Application
Software
System Software: System software is a set of programs that coordinate and manage the
activities and functions of a computer. It controls all the operations of the computer hardware and
software. It also provides a platform for running application software, and system software is
typically bundled with a computer's operating system. A computer cannot perform its functions
without system software. System software provide interface between the computer’s user and
computer hardware. System software makes the operation of a computer more fast, effective, and
secure. Example: Operating system, device drivers, utility programs and language translators.
Operating System: Operating system is system software, it is a set of programs that control and
coordinate/ supervises all the computer hardware and application software. It provides the
interface between user and machine. Without operating system a computer cannot do anything
and all the components of a computer cannot do any work. A user cannot communicate directly
with the computer hardware so the operating system acts as an intermediary between user and
computer hardware. Operating system manages all the activity of a computer, like CPU
management, Memory management, file management and input, output and process
management. It also provides computer security and data communication facilities like data can
be transferred or shared from one computer to another. The example of operating systems is
Does, Windows, Unix, Linux
Device Drivers: Device drivers are computer programs that control a particular device when it is
connected to a computer. Any hardware that we have in our computer must have a device driver
to communicate with operating system. A device driver is a translator between the operating
system and the hardware device. For many devices, operating system has drivers preinstalled in
them. This gave rise to the concept of Plug and Play, where the device would be attached to the
computer and the operating system will instantly recognize it. A non-plug-and-play device would
require to go through several steps of installing drivers and setting up the device before it would
work.
Utility Programs: Utility means being useful. Utility programs are useful computer programs
that help to manage, maintain and control computer resources. Operating systems usually have
pre-installed programs that can serve the purpose, but utility software provides further
functionality. One example of utility program is an antivirus software. This computer program
helps to protect a computer from viruses and other harmful files. Hard Disk tools are also part of
utility programs. They manage hard disk drives and other storage devices. This includes utilities
to scan the hard disks for any potential problems. Disk cleaner utility is used to remove any
unnecessary files while disk defragmenter is used to reorganize file on a hard disk drive to
increase performance of disk.
Language Translators: Language Translators are used to translate human readable instructions
into machine language. Computer can only understand machine language which is composed of
0's and 1's. The computer languages are used to make computer programs (software). Generally,
software is written in high-level languages, using natural language words.
Language translator are of three types, Assembler, Compiler and Interpreter.
(i) Assembler: The assembler translates the program written in assembly language into machine
language instructions for execution.
(ii) Compiler: It translates the entire high-level language program at once into machine language
before it is executed.
(iii) Interpreter: It translates the high-level language
Application Software: Application software (App) is a kind of software that performs specific
functions for the end user by interacting directly with it. The sole purpose of application
Software is used to complete specific tasks, such as creating documents, databases, spreadsheets
and presentations, computer games, media players and web browsers are also the examples of
application software. User needs to install application software to accomplish specific tasks.
Application software are not pre-installed on operating system. They are installed separately.For
example, making spreadsheet is not possible with Windows. For that application software such
as MS Excel is used. There are different types of application software, Productivity Software,
Business Software, Entertainment Software, Educational Software
Productivity Software: a. This kind of application software is used to produce things such as
documents, spreadsheets, databases and presentations.
b. Many of the productivity software are intended to be used in businesses and offices.
c. MS Office for Windows is an example of productivity software.
Business Software: a. Business Software are used to manage business activities efficiently.
b. It is used to provide many business functions such as billing, database management and
inventory management.
Entertainment Software: a. This type of software provides amusement and fulfills a user's
hobby.
b. The most common entertainment software are video games.
Educational Software: a. Educational software is used for teaching and learning.
b. This kind of software is used in many schools to enhance knowledge of students in learning
different subjects.
Q33. Differentiate between system software and application software.
System Software Application Software

The system software is designed to control, integrate, Application software is the set of computer
and manage the individual hardware components and programs installed in the user's system and
application software of a computer system. designed to perform a specific task.

It provides an interface between the Application It acts as an interface between the end-user and
Software and Computer hardware. System Software.

It is a general-purpose software. It is a specific-purpose software.

This software runs independently and provide a This software is not capable of running
platform to application software. independently, which means they need system
software to work on.

These are usually written in low-level languages such These are usually written in a high-level
as Assembly language. language such as C, C++, Java, etc.

System software work on the background, hence user Application software work on user-interface,
don't directly interact with them. hence user directly interact with them.

A system software starts running as we turn on our Application software runs as per user request. It
computer system and stops when the system is turned means when we launch them, then only they
off. start and stop when we close them.

A computer system or hardware can't run without A computer system or hardware can always run
system software. without application software.

Examples of System Software are Operating systems, Examples of Application Software are Web
Compiler, Assembler, Device drivers, etc. browsers, MS office, Graphic design software

System software is installed into the computer when Application software is installed only when a
the operating system is being installed. user needs them.

Q34. What is operating system? Describe the important features and function of an
operating system.
Ans. Operating system is system software, it is a set of programs that control and coordinate/
supervises all the computer hardware and application software. It provides the interface between
user and machine. Without operating system a computer cannot do anything and all the
components of a computer cannot do any work. A user cannot communicate directly with the
computer hardware so the operating system acts as an intermediary between user and computer
hardware. Operating system manages all the activity of a computer, like CPU management,
Memory management, file management and input, output and process management. It also
provides computer security and data communication facilities like data can be transferred or
shared from one computer to another. The example of operating systems is Does, Windows,
Unix, Linux
Some important tasks of an operating system are
 Control basic input output devices
 Managing the resources of the computer such as central processing unit (CPU)
 Memory management
 Disk drives Management
 Printer and running user programs.
 Maintain security
 Support Application software
Features of Operating Systems
1. Here is a list of some important features of operating systems:
2. Provides a platform for running applications
3. Handles memory management and CPU scheduling
4. Provides file system abstraction
5. Provides networking support
6. Provides security features
7. Provides user interface
8. Provides utilities and system services
9. Supports application development
Functions of Operating System
Processor Management: Process management is a key feature of an operating system that
handles the creation, planning, execution, and termination of processes or tasks within a
computer system.
Memory Management: Memory management plays a vital role in any operating system. It
encompasses the allocation, tracking, and deallocation of computer memory resources. Its main
objective is to effectively use currently available memory to facilitate the execution of processes
and applications.
Device Management: Device Management is an essential task for an operating system. It
involves regulating and coordinating the communication between the computer system and its
input/output (I/O) devices. Here is an explanation of Device Management.
Device Drivers: Device drivers, which are software components that permit communication
between the operating system and particular hardware devices, are made available by the
operating system
File Management: An operating system keeps track of information regarding the creation,
deletion, transfer, copy, and storage of files in an organized way. It also maintains the integrity of
the data stored in these files, including the file directory structure, by protecting against
unauthorized access.
Provide Interfaces:-
i. Graphical User Interface (GUI): GUIs display system functions through icons,
menus, buttons, and windows, allowing users to interact with the system by clicking.
 ii. Command-Line Interface (CLI): CLI is a text-based system where users input
commands through a keyboard.
Security: The operating system provides various techniques which assure the integrity and
confidentiality of user data. Following security measures are used to protect user data:
Protection against unauthorized access through login.
Protection against intrusion by keeping Firefall active.
Protecting the system memory against malicious access.
Displaying messages related to system vulnerabilities.
Error Detection: From time to time, the operating system checks the system for any external
threat or malicious software activity. It also checks the hardware for any type of damage. This
process displays several alerts to the user so that the appropriate action can be taken against any
damage caused to the system.
Job Scheduling: In a multitasking OS where multiple programs run simultaneously, the
operating system determines which applications should run in which order and how time should
be allocated to each application.

Q36. Define operating system environments.

Single-User/Single-Tasking OS: An operating system that allows a single user to perform only
one task at a time is called a Single-User Single-Tasking Operating System. Functions like
printing a document, downloading images, etc., can be performed only one at a time. Examples
include MS-DOS, Palm OS, etc. This operating system occupies less space in memory.
Single-User/Multitasking OS: An operating system that allows a single user to perform more
than one task at a time is called Single-User Multitasking Operating System. Examples include
Microsoft Windows and Macintosh OS. It is time saving as it performs multiple tasks at a time
Multiuser/Multitasking OS: It is an operating system that permits several users to utilize the
programs that are concurrently running on a single network server. The single network server is
termed as "Terminal server". "Terminal client" is a software that supports user sessions.
Examples include UNIX, MVS, etc. It is highly productive as it performs multiple tasks at a
time. It is time saving as we don’t have to make changes in many desktops, instead can make
changes only to the server.

Q36. What is language translator? Define its different types.

Language Translator:- Language translator is a computer program that converts high level
language program into low level program (1s & 0s), or machine language. A program written in
any language is called source code. Translators convert the source code into the object code or
machine code, which understands directly by the computer processor. Translators also detect and
report errors in the process of translation.
Compiler :- Compiler is a translator which is used to convert programs in high-level language to
low-level language. It translates the entire program and also reports the errors in source program
encountered during the translation. A program written b a programmer in a high level language is
called a source program. After this source program has been converted into machine language by
a compiler it is referred to as an object program. The object program is saved as a program file
ready for execution at any time desired.
Interpreter: Interpreter is a translator which is used to convert programs in high-level language
to low-level language. Interpreter translates line by line and reports the error once it encountered
during the translation process. It directly executes the operations specified in the source program
when the input is given by the user. It gives better error diagnostics than a compiler. However in
case of an interpreter no object program is saved for future use because the translation and the
execution processes alternate.
Assembler:-Assembler is a translator which is used to translate the assembly language code into
machine language code.

Q37. Write down the differences between interpreter, compiler and assembler?
COMPILER INTERPRETER ASSEMBLER

It converts the high-Level It also converts the It converts programs written in

programming language program-developed code the assembly language to the
into Machine language or into machine language or machine language or binary
binary code. binary code. code.

It scans the entire program It translates the program It converts the source code into
before converting it into line by line to the the object code then converts it
binary code. equivalent machine code. into the machine code.

Detects error line by line.

And stops scanning until It detects errors in the first
Gives the full error report the error in the previous phase, after fixation the second
after the whole scan. line is solved. phase starts.

Intermediate object code

generation is done in the There is no intermediate There is an intermediate object
case of Compiler. code generation. code generation.

It takes less execution An interpreter takes more

time comparing to an execution time than the It takes more time than the
interpreter. compiler. compiler.

The compiler requires a It requires less memory

lot of memory for than a compiler because no It requires comparatively more
generating object codes. object code is generated memory.

Interpreter is good for fast

Debugging is easy. Debugging is difficult.
debugging.

Python, Perl, VB,

C, C#, Java, C++ PostScript, LISP, etc… GAS, GNU

Q38: Describe classification of programming language.

Ans. Classification of Programming Language:- Programming languages can be classified
into the following categories, Low-level language, Middle-level language and High level
language
Low level language:-Low-level programming languages are those languages that are directly
communicated with computer hardware. The two languages come under this category are
Machine language and Assembly language.
Machine Language:-Machine language is a collection of binary digits or bits that the computer
reads or understood directly and execute, while machine language is almost impossible for
humans to use because they consist entirely of numbers (0s & 1s). Machine code doesn't require
translator because machine code is directly executed by computer. It is also called first
generation language.
Assembly language:-A program written in assembly language consists of a series of instructions
called mnemonics. Assembly language code is translated by a translator called assembler.
Assembly language uses keywords and symbols much like English and are easy to read, write
and maintain as compared to machine language. It is also called second generation programming
language.
Middle level language:-The middle-level language lies in between the low level and high-level
language. Middle-level language actually binds the gap between a machine level language and
high-level languages, these languages are now become obsolete and are not in used.
High level language:-High-level languages are new and drastically used. It allows us to write
computer code using instructions resembling everyday spoken language, usually English (for
example: print, if, while). Programs written in a high-level language need to be translated by a
translator (compiler or interpreter) into machine language before execution.

Q39: Write down the differences between low-level and high-level languages.
Low Level Language High Level Language
In low level language machine codes (0 and 1) are In high level language English like words are used as
used as an instruction to the computer. an instruction to the computer.
The execution of programs is quite fast. The execution of programs is not very fast.
Instructions are directly understood by the CPU and Instruction are not directly understood by the CPU
direct access to memory and less memory efficient.
No need to translate program. In case of assembly Translation of program is required, compiler or
language assembler is required. interpreter.
One type of machine code cannot run on all The high level code can be translated to required
machines so it is not portable language machine code so it is portable language
Coding and maintenance are not easy Coding and maintenance are easy
The programs written in low level languages are The programs written in high level languages are
machine dependent and are difficult to modify. machine independent and are easy to modify.
The examples of low-level languages are:
The examples of high-level languages are: BASIC,
Machine language
FORTRAN, COBOL, PASCAL, C languages etc.
Assembly language