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Unit 2: Memory and I/O Devices - Practice Quiz

DECAP145 60 Questions
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1 How many bits make up one byte?

Units of memory Easy
A. 16 bits
B. 4 bits
C. 8 bits
D. 32 bits

2 Which of the following is the smallest unit of memory?

Units of memory Easy
A. Bit
B. Nibble
C. Kilobyte
D. Byte

3 Approximately how many bytes are there in one kilobyte (KB)?

Units of memory Easy
A. 512 bytes
B. 1024 bytes
C. 100 bytes
D. 2048 bytes

4 What does RAM stand for?

RAM Easy
A. Remote Access Memory
B. Random Access Memory
C. Rapid Active Memory
D. Read Access Memory

5 Which type of memory loses its contents when the computer is switched off?

RAM Easy
A. RAM
B. ROM
C. DVD
D. Hard disk

6 What does ROM stand for?

ROM Easy
A. Read Only Memory
B. Random Only Memory
C. Run Once Memory
D. Rapid Output Memory

7 Which characteristic best describes ROM?

ROM Easy
A. Non-volatile memory
B. Cache memory
C. Volatile memory
D. Temporary memory

8 Which of the following is considered primary memory?

Memory: Types Easy
A. DVD
B. RAM
C. Hard disk drive
D. Flash drive

9 Cache memory is mainly used to:

Memory: Types Easy
A. Print documents
B. Connect to the internet
C. Speed up access to frequently used data
D. Store permanent files

10 What does HDD stand for?

Secondary storage devices—HDD Easy
A. Hard Data Disk
B. Hard Disk Drive
C. Hybrid Disk Device
D. High Data Drive

11 A hard disk drive (HDD) stores data using which technology?

Secondary storage devices—HDD Easy
A. Magnetic storage
B. Optical storage
C. Flash memory
D. Punch cards

12 What does SSD stand for?

SSD Easy
A. System Storage Device
B. Single Sided Disk
C. Secondary Storage Disk
D. Solid State Drive

13 Compared to a traditional HDD, an SSD is generally:

SSD Easy
A. Slower to access data
B. Made of spinning platters
C. Faster to access data
D. Larger in physical size

14 A DVD is an example of which type of storage?

Optical Disks: DVD Easy
A. Cloud storage
B. Optical storage
C. Magnetic storage
D. Flash storage

15 A USB flash drive stores data using:

Flash Drives Easy
A. Flash memory
B. Magnetic platters
C. Vacuum tubes
D. Optical laser tracks

16 A keyboard is classified as which type of device?

I/O Devices—Keyboard Easy
A. Processing device
B. Input device
C. Output device
D. Storage device

17 A mouse is primarily used to:

I/O Devices—Mouse Easy
A. Print documents
B. Point and select items on screen
C. Store files permanently
D. Display images

18 What does LCD stand for?

I/O Devices—LCDs Easy
A. Linear Circuit Display
B. Light Colour Display
C. Low Current Display
D. Liquid Crystal Display

19 A scanner is used to:

I/O Devices—Scanner Easy
A. Print documents on paper
B. Convert printed documents into digital form
C. Store data permanently
D. Play audio files

20 A plotter is an output device mainly used to print:

I/O Devices—Plotter Easy
A. Small text messages
B. Audio recordings
C. Large drawings and engineering designs
D. Web pages only

21 A file is exactly in size. How many kilobytes is this, assuming the binary convention where ?

Units of memory Medium
A.
B.
C.
D.

22 How many bits are there in nibble?

Units of memory Medium
A. bits
B. bits
C. bits
D. bits

23 A user notices that all unsaved work is lost whenever the power is suddenly cut off. Which property of RAM best explains this behavior?

RAM Medium
A. It is sequential access
B. It is non-volatile
C. It is read-only
D. It is volatile

24 A system needs memory that automatically refreshes its data periodically to retain contents and offers high density at low cost for main memory. Which type is most suitable?

RAM Medium
A. EPROM
B. DRAM
C. Flash memory
D. SRAM

25 Why is SRAM commonly used for cache memory instead of DRAM?

RAM Medium
A. It is faster and does not require refreshing
B. It is cheaper per bit
C. It has higher storage density
D. It is non-volatile

26 A manufacturer wants a memory chip whose contents can be erased using ultraviolet light and then reprogrammed. Which type of ROM should be chosen?

ROM Medium
A. EPROM
B. EEPROM
C. PROM
D. Mask ROM

27 The small program that starts a computer and tests hardware at power-on is typically stored in which type of memory?

ROM Medium
A. Cache
B. Register
C. ROM
D. RAM

28 Arrange the following memory types from fastest to slowest access speed.

Memory: Types Medium
A. Cache → Register → Hard Disk → RAM
B. Hard Disk → RAM → Cache → Register
C. RAM → Register → Cache → Hard Disk
D. Register → Cache → RAM → Hard Disk

29 Which statement correctly distinguishes primary memory from secondary memory?

Memory: Types Medium
A. Secondary memory is faster than primary memory
B. Primary memory is always non-volatile
C. Primary memory is directly accessed by the CPU; secondary memory is not
D. Secondary memory cannot store data permanently

30 In a hard disk drive, data is organized into concentric circles on each platter surface. What are these circles called?

Secondary storage devices — HDD Medium
A. Clusters
B. Sectors
C. Cylinders
D. Tracks

31 Which factor of a traditional HDD most directly affects how fast data can be read once the read/write head is positioned over the correct track?

Secondary storage devices — HDD Medium
A. Screen resolution
B. Rotational speed (RPM)
C. Cache line width of the CPU
D. Number of USB ports

32 Why does an SSD generally provide faster boot and load times than a traditional HDD?

SSD Medium
A. It has no moving mechanical parts and accesses data electronically
B. It stores data on optical layers
C. It spins its platters at a higher RPM
D. It uses larger magnetic heads

33 Which of the following is a genuine limitation of SSDs compared to HDDs?

SSD Medium
A. SSDs cannot store data without power
B. SSDs are affected by magnetic fields more than HDDs
C. SSDs require constant refreshing like DRAM
D. Flash memory cells have a limited number of write/erase cycles

34 A USB flash drive retains stored files even after being unplugged from the computer. This is because it uses which kind of memory?

Flash Drives Medium
A. Volatile DRAM
B. Volatile SRAM
C. Cache memory
D. Non-volatile flash memory

35 A single-layer, single-sided DVD stores roughly how much data, which is far more than a standard CD's ?

Optical Disks: DVD Medium
A.
B.
C.
D.

36 Optical disks such as DVDs read data using which technology?

Optical Disks: DVD Medium
A. A laser beam reflecting off pits and lands
B. A magnetic read/write head
C. Electrical charge in flash cells
D. A rotating capacitor array

37 A librarian wants to convert printed pages into editable text on the computer. Which combination is required?

I/O Devices — Scanner Medium
A. A barcode reader with a printer
B. A plotter with a stylus
C. A scanner with OCR software
D. A microphone with speech synthesis

38 An architecture firm needs to print large, precise engineering drawings and blueprints on wide sheets. Which output device is best suited?

I/O Devices — Plotter Medium
A. Laser printer for A4 sheets
B. Plotter
C. Dot-matrix printer
D. Thermal receipt printer

39 Which type of printer uses a toner powder fused onto paper by heat and is known for high-speed, high-quality office printing?

I/O Devices — Printer Medium
A. Laser printer
B. Daisy-wheel printer
C. Inkjet printer
D. Dot-matrix printer

40 Why is a dot-matrix printer preferred for printing multipart carbon-copy forms even though its quality is lower than an inkjet?

I/O Devices — Printer Medium
A. It heats special paper to mark all copies
B. It sprays ink that soaks through paper layers
C. It strikes the paper via an impact mechanism, so it can print through multiple copies at once
D. It uses a laser that penetrates several sheets

41 A storage device is advertised as having a capacity of GB using the decimal (SI) definition. When the operating system reports capacity using binary units (GiB), approximately how much usable space will it show?

Units of memory Hard
A. GiB
B. GiB
C. GiB
D. GiB

42 An image sensor captures frames of pixels at -bit color, streaming at frames per second uncompressed. What is the approximate raw data rate?

Units of memory Hard
A. Mbps
B. MBps
C. Mbps
D. Gbps

43 Why does DRAM require periodic refresh cycles while SRAM does not?

RAM Hard
A. DRAM operates at higher voltage causing thermal decay that SRAM avoids
B. DRAM is volatile but SRAM is non-volatile and retains data without power
C. DRAM uses six transistors per cell that discharge, while SRAM uses one capacitor
D. DRAM stores each bit as charge in a capacitor that leaks over time, whereas SRAM holds bits in a bistable latch

44 In the memory hierarchy, cache is placed between the CPU and main memory primarily to exploit which principle?

Memory: Types Hard
A. Refresh amortization to reduce DRAM overhead
B. Locality of reference, both temporal and spatial
C. Non-volatility to preserve data on power loss
D. Wear leveling to extend memory lifespan

45 Which statement most accurately distinguishes EEPROM from EPROM?

ROM Hard
A. EEPROM is read-only and cannot be reprogrammed, unlike EPROM
B. EEPROM is erased with UV light, while EPROM is erased electrically
C. EEPROM is erased electrically byte-by-byte in-circuit, while EPROM is erased in bulk using ultraviolet light
D. EEPROM is volatile while EPROM retains data without power

46 Why do SSDs employ wear leveling and a Flash Translation Layer (FTL)?

SSD Hard
A. SSDs cannot address blocks directly, so the FTL converts optical tracks to logical sectors
B. NAND flash cells tolerate a limited number of program/erase cycles, so writes are spread across blocks to prevent premature failure
C. NAND flash loses data instantly on power off, so the FTL continuously refreshes charge
D. Flash cells must be read magnetically, so the FTL translates polarity into voltage

47 An SSD shows fast sequential writes initially but slows dramatically during sustained large writes. What is the most likely cause?

SSD Hard
A. The magnetic platters overheat and reduce spin speed
B. The refresh interval increases as capacitors discharge
C. The optical laser loses focus during continuous burning
D. The SLC write cache becomes exhausted, forcing direct writes to slower TLC/QLC cells

48 A HDD spins at RPM. What is its average rotational latency?

Secondary storage devices—HDD Hard
A. ms
B. ms
C. ms
D. ms

49 The total time to service a random HDD read request is best expressed as the sum of which components?

Secondary storage devices—HDD Hard
A. Seek time + rotational latency + data transfer time
B. Refresh time + seek time + parity check
C. Access latency + wear leveling + garbage collection
D. Spin-up time + laser focus time + transfer time

50 Why can a DVD store far more data than a CD despite similar physical dimensions?

Optical Disks: DVD Hard
A. DVDs spin much faster, allowing more sectors per second to be recorded
B. DVDs use a shorter-wavelength red laser with a smaller focused spot, tighter track pitch, and support multiple layers/sides
C. DVDs use a larger reading laser that captures wider pits
D. DVDs store data magnetically rather than optically, doubling density

51 A USB 2.0 flash drive advertises a MB/s write speed, but the USB 2.0 bus supports Mbps. Why can the drive not saturate the bus?

Flash Drives Hard
A. The flash drive downgrades the bus to USB 1.1 during writes
B. The NAND flash write speed and controller are the bottleneck, not the interface bandwidth
C. The bus speed of Mbps only applies to reads, never writes
D. USB 2.0 reserves of bandwidth for error correction leaving little for data

52 Which classification correctly groups memory as volatile versus non-volatile?

Memory: Types Hard
A. Volatile: DRAM, SRAM; Non-volatile: ROM, flash, HDD
B. Volatile: HDD, SSD; Non-volatile: cache, registers
C. Volatile: flash, EEPROM; Non-volatile: DRAM, cache
D. Volatile: ROM, flash; Non-volatile: DRAM, SRAM

53 In a matrix-scanned keyboard, 'ghosting' (phantom keypresses) is prevented by adding what component to each key?

I/O Devices—Keyboard Hard
A. An LED to indicate the active key
B. A capacitor to store the keypress charge
C. A pull-up resistor on every row line
D. A diode in series with each switch to block reverse current paths

54 How does an optical mouse determine movement direction and distance?

I/O Devices—Mouse Hard
A. A camera captures rapid surface images and a DSP compares successive frames to compute displacement
B. A laser measures the Doppler shift of reflected light to get velocity
C. A rolling ball turns two perpendicular encoder wheels sensing rotation
D. Accelerometers integrate acceleration to derive position

55 In a TFT-LCD, what is the primary role of the thin-film transistors at each subpixel?

I/O Devices—LCDs Hard
A. They emit the colored light directly for each subpixel
B. They generate the backlight illumination for the panel
C. They convert reflected ambient light into pixel color
D. They act as switches holding the pixel's voltage, enabling active-matrix addressing without crosstalk

56 A flatbed scanner scans an A4 page ( in) at dpi in 24-bit color. Approximately how large is the uncompressed image?

Scanner Hard
A. MB
B. MB
C. MB
D. MB

57 Which sequence correctly describes the laser printer imaging process?

Printer & Latest I/O devices in market Hard
A. Charge drum → laser writes latent image → toner adheres to discharged areas → transfer to paper → fuse with heat
B. Charge paper → mechanical impact through ribbon → UV cure
C. Spray toner → magnetize paper → laser fixes color → cool
D. Heat paper → deposit ink droplets → dry with fan → laminate

58 Why are pen plotters preferred over raster printers for engineering line drawings and CAD output on large formats?

Plotter Hard
A. They draw continuous vector lines at arbitrary angles with high precision, independent of pixel resolution
B. They produce photographic color gradients faster than inkjets
C. They store the entire image in RAM before printing, ensuring speed
D. They use thermal heads that never require ink refills

59 Why must an SSD erase an entire block before rewriting data, unlike an HDD which overwrites sectors directly?

SSD Hard
A. NAND flash can be programmed at the page level but can only be erased at the larger block level, causing read-modify-write and write amplification
B. NAND cells can only be written once and never erased, so blocks must be replaced
C. The FTL forbids page writes to conserve the SLC cache
D. Flash erasing requires physically demagnetizing the whole block first

60 Ordering by typical access speed from fastest to slowest, which sequence is correct?

Memory: Types Hard
A. L1 cache → Registers → HDD → SSD → DRAM
B. Registers → DRAM → L1 cache → HDD → SSD
C. Registers → L1 cache → DRAM → SSD → HDD
D. DRAM → Registers → L1 cache → HDD → SSD
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