3.11. Key Terms

Chapter 3

Analog signals: are continuous and can be represented by smooth wave pattern. (3.2)
Binary: A number expressed in the binary numeral system, or base-2 numeral system, which represents numeric values using two different symbols: typically 0 (zero) and 1 (one). (3.2)

Bit: The smallest unit of data in a computer represented by one or zero. (3.2)

Bluetooth: A wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances (using shortwavelength UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz[4]) from fixed and mobile devices, and building personal area networks. (3.7)

Bus: The electrical connection between different computer components that is an important determiner of the computer’s speed. (3.3)

Byte: A unit of data that computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number, or typographic symbol with a group of eight bits. (3.2)

Central Processing Unit (CPU): The “brains” of the device, carries out the commands sent to it by the software and returns results to be acted upon. (3.4)

Digital Devices: Is an electronic device which uses discrete, numerable data and processes for all its operations. (3.2)

Electronic Waste: Used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling or disposal. (3.9)

Hard Disk: Where data is stored when the computer is turned off and where it is retrieved from when the computer is turned on. (3.5)

Hardware: The part of an information system you can touch–the physical components of the technology.

Hertz: A measure of computer processing speed. (3.7)

Input Devices: Peripheral hardware used to provide data and control signals to a computer. Examples of input devices include keyboards, mice, scanners, digital cameras and joysticks. (3.7)

Integrated Computing: Integration of computing technology into everyday products to enhancing its capabilities. (3.8)

Memory: Specifically Computer Memory. Any physical device capable of storing information temporarily or permanently. (3.3)

Moore’s Law: The observation that over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit has doubled approximately every two years. (3.4)

Motherboard: The main circuit board on the computer that connect to the CPU, memory, and storage components, among other things. (3.3)

Network Connection: Provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet, a network, or another computer. (3.2)

Output Devices: An output device sends data from a computer to another device or user. This includes audio and video output. Other examples are monitors, projectors, speakers, headphones and printers. (3.7)

Read Access Memory (RAM): The working memory that begins to load information from the hard disk as the computer starts up.(3.5)

Removable Media: Fixed storage components. Removable storage media that is portable. (3.5)

Storage: The retention of retrievable data on a computer or other electronic system.
Storage Devices: Is any device used to store digital data or information through input or output operations.

Solid State Drive (SSD): Performs the same function as a hard disk: long-term storage that uses spinning disks, flash memory, which is much faster. (3.5)

Adapted from Information Systems for Business and Beyond Glossary by Ruth Guthrie licensed under a CC-BY-3.0