Final Terms for the Semester!

If you know these terms and can pick out a few things on a motherboard, you will do well on this
section of the final exam.

1. WAN - A Wide Area Network is a telecommunications network that extends over a

large geographical distance for the primary purpose of computer networking.

2. LAN - A local-area network (LAN) is a computer network that spans a relatively

small area. Most often, a LAN is confined to a single room, building or group of
buildings, however, one LAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance
via telephone lines and radio waves.

3. Network topology - The arrangement of the elements of a communication network.

Network topology can be used to define or describe the arrangement of various
types of telecommunication networks, including command and control radio
networks, industrial fieldbuses and computer.

4. Microprocessor - an integrated circuit that contains all the functions of a central

processing unit of a computer.

5. Cookies - A small text file created by a website that is stored in the

user's computer either temporarily for that session only or permanently on the
hard disk. Cookies provide a way for the website to recognize you and keep track
of your preferences.

6. Malware - “Malware” is short for “malicious software” – computer programs

designed to infiltrate and damage computers without the users consent.
“Malware” is the general term covering all the different types of threats to
your computer safety such as viruses, spyware, worms, trojans, rootkits and so
on.

7. Heat Sink - A heat sink is a device that incorporates either a fan or some
other means to keep a hot component, such as a processor, cooled down. There
are two heat sink types: active and passive.

8. CPU - Sometimes referred to simply as the central processor, but more commonly
called processor, the CPU is the brains of the computer where most calculations
take place.

9. Transistor - a transistor is a device used to amplify its electrical input. In the digital
world, a transistor is a binary switch and the fundamental building block
of computer circuitry.
 10. RAM/ROM - Random access memory (RAM) is a type of data storage used
in computers that is generally located on the motherboard. ROM (read-only
memory) data stored in ROM may only be read. ... Unlike RAM (random access
memory), ROM is non-volatile, which means it keeps its contents regardless of
whether or not it has power.

11. Capacitor - Tiny discrete ceramic and tantalum capacitors are built on the outside
of the chip package or surround the chip on the motherboard. In signal
processing, a capacitor and resistor smooth the spikes and sharp edges from a
signal.

12. PCI Slot - A Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) slot is a connecting

apparatus for a 32-bit computer bus. These tools are built into the motherboards
of computers and devices in order to allow for the addition of PCI devices like
modems, network hardware or sound and video cards

13. USB Port - A Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a common interface that enables
communication between devices and a host controller such as a
personal computer (PC). It connects peripheral devices such as digital cameras,
mice, keyboards, printers, etc.

14. Resistor - A resistor is an electrical component that limits or regulates the flow of
electrical current in an electronic circuit. Resistors can also be used to provide a
specific voltage for an active device such as a transistor.

If you know these terms and can pick out a few things on a motherboard, you will do well on this
section of the final exam.