Chapter 3 Answers
Chapter 3 Answers
Exam-style Questions
1 a RAM is volatile (1), nothing stored when system is switched off (1), can write to RAM (1), so data can be
updated or deleted (1).
Random access (1), data can be read (1).
D stands for dynamic, which in this context means that there has to be regular recharging to maintain the
data stored (1). S stands for static, which has no such requirement (1). No marks for discussing cost,
access time or capacity.
2 Component Category
B G
D A
C A
F E
The only storage elements within the processor are the registers. Cache memory is considered to be part of
the primary storage. It is best to consider primary storage and memory as being different names for the same
thing. Note also the use of Immediate Access Store, which includes main memory and cache memory.
3 RAM is a A component that can be directly accessed and can be D. It is E which means that all data H if the
system is switched off. ROM is a A component that can be directly accessed and can be C. It is F which means
that all data G if the system is switched off.
It is best to refer to RAM and ROM as memory rather than storage devices, even though data is stored in
them during use. It is important to learn to use the terms volatile and non-volatile correctly. It might be
helpful to remember that a volatile liquid is one that easily evaporates and, therefore, ‘disappears’.
4 B and D
Note that colour light emission from a screen is based on the red, green and blue primary colours. Colour
printing is based on the cyan, magenta and yellow secondary primaries.
7 Both systems are based on a two-dimensional array where each element of the array can be distinguished.
For a keyboard there is, underneath, a matrix of wires. A key press identifies a unique intersection between
two wires by closing a circuit. The specific closed circuit is recognised by the built-in processor, allowing it to
transmit the appropriate character to the CPU. A resistive touch screen works in a similar way, with the touch
pushing two layers together and defining a specific point of contact. A projective capacitive touch screen
closely resembles this because of the grid of devices under the screen surface.
Note that the use of a mouse or rollerball does not fit the description here because the detection of position
is activated in the mouse or rollerball. Furthermore, it is only used relative to an arbitrarily defined starting
position.
8 A microphone receives sound input, so it is an input device. The sound input is converted to an electrical signal
which is output, so a microphone is also an output device. However, this electrical signal could be taken as input
by a computer system. Therefore, from the point of view of the computer, the microphone is an input device.