Computer Hardware and Software for Biology Majors: Interactive Learning Quizzes

Question 1

Which component is NOT a type of computer bus?

Accepted Answer

Power supply

Answer

Data bus

Answer

Address bus

Answer

Control bus

Question 2

What is the primary function of an operating system in computer resource management?

Accepted Answer

Facilitating communication between software and hardware

Answer

Managing user accounts and network settings

Answer

Protecting against malware and cyber threats

Answer

Providing a graphical user interface (GUI)

Question 3

Define a computer motherboard, outlining its crucial functions and the key components it houses.

Accepted Answer

The motherboard is the central circuit board in a computer, connecting and enabling communication among all vital components.

Answer

The motherboard is a storage device for computer data and programs.

Answer

The motherboard is a software that controls the operations of a computer system.

Answer

The motherboard is the graphical user interface of a computer.

Question 4

What is the primary function of an operating system?

Accepted Answer

Manage hardware and software resources efficiently

Answer

Provide a user-friendly graphical interface

Answer

Execute application programs

Answer

Protect the system from security threats

Question 5

Within a computer system, the primary responsibility of the Control Unit (CU) is to:

Accepted Answer

Execute instructions

Answer

Carry out mathematical operations

Answer

Store data and instructions

Answer

Transfer data between memory and registers

Question 6

Which component is NOT found within the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)?

Accepted Answer

Storage device

Answer

Adder

Answer

Subtractor

Answer

Multiplier

Question 7

The primary purpose of an operating system is to:

Accepted Answer

Manage hardware resources and provide a user interface

Answer

Run application software

Answer

Store and retrieve data

Answer

Carry out advanced calculations

Question 8

A characteristic of a graphical user interface (GUI) is that it:

Accepted Answer

Employs icons and menus instead of text commands

Answer

Requires users to memorize complex syntax

Answer

Is primarily used in embedded systems

Answer

Is more efficient than command-line interfaces

Question 9

The primary function of a compiler is to:

Accepted Answer

Translate high-level code into machine code

Answer

Interpret code line by line during execution

Answer

Provide a visual representation of code

Answer

Save data in memory

Question 10

A secondary storage device includes:

Accepted Answer

Hard disk drive

Answer

Cache memory

Answer

RAM

Answer

Registers

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of a web browser?

Accepted Answer

Google Chrome

Answer

Microsoft Word

Answer

Adobe Photoshop

Answer

Visual Studio Code

Question 12

Which component is NOT a part of the computer system unit?

Accepted Answer

Mouse

Answer

Processor

Answer

Power supply

Answer

Motherboard

Question 13

What is the main function of an operating system in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

Manage system resources effectively

Answer

Present a visually appealing user interface

Answer

Execute various software applications

Answer

Securely store and retrieve data

Question 14

Which software category is designed to perform specific tasks, such as creating documents or analyzing data?

Accepted Answer

Application software

Answer

System software

Answer

Firmware

Answer

Utility software

Question 15

What is the primary function of a bus in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

Transmit data efficiently between components

Answer

Permanently store data for future access

Answer

Interpret and execute instructions

Answer

Provide electrical power to system components

Question 16

Which of the following is considered a primary storage device in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

Random access memory (RAM)

Answer

Hard disk drive

Answer

Compact disc (CD-ROM)

Answer

Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive

Question 17

What is the primary role of a compiler in computer programming?

Accepted Answer

Translate high-level programming code into machine code

Answer

Interpret high-level programming code into machine code

Answer

Store object code for future execution

Answer

Identify and eliminate errors within the code

Question 18

What is the main purpose of a firewall in a computer network?

Accepted Answer

Prevent unauthorized access to the network

Answer

Detect and block malicious software (e.g., viruses)

Answer

Encrypt data transmitted over the network

Answer

Provide a backup connection in case of network failure

Question 19

Which component is NOT considered hardware in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

Operating System (OS)

Answer

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Answer

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Answer

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

Question 20

What is the primary responsibility of an operating system in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

Managing hardware and software resources

Answer

Providing a user-friendly interface

Answer

Executing application programs

Answer

Storing and retrieving data

Question 21

Which software type is designed for specific tasks like creating presentations or playing media?

Accepted Answer

Application software

Answer

System software

Answer

Utility software

Answer

Middleware

Question 22

What is the main function of a Network Interface Card (NIC) in a computer?

Accepted Answer

Connecting the computer to a network

Answer

Processing data for applications

Answer

Storing user files and documents

Answer

Managing computer memory

Question 23

Which characteristic is NOT desirable in a well-designed computer system?

Accepted Answer

Complete immunity to viruses

Answer

Fast performance

Answer

Reliable operation

Answer

Expandable as needed

Question 24

What is the role of a compiler in software development?

Accepted Answer

Translating high-level code into machine code

Answer

Interpreting code during runtime

Answer

Allocating memory for program execution

Answer

Detecting and resolving software errors

Question 25

When selecting a computer for biology research, which aspect is most critical?

Accepted Answer

Processing speed and power

Answer

Amount of available memory

Answer

Storage capacity for data

Answer

Advanced graphics capabilities

Question 26

What is the purpose of using a virtual machine?

Accepted Answer

Simulating different operating systems and environments

Answer

Boosting computer performance

Answer

Protecting data from malware attacks

Answer

Managing software licenses

Question 27

What is the primary role of a CPU in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To process and execute instructions

Answer

To store data and programs

Answer

To connect the computer to external devices

Answer

To regulate the flow of electricity

Question 28

Which of these is an example of application software?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft Word

Answer

Windows 10

Answer

BIOS

Answer

Hardware drivers

Question 29

What is the main purpose of a motherboard in a computer?

Accepted Answer

To provide connections between components

Answer

To house the CPU and other components

Answer

To store data

Answer

To process instructions

Question 30

What is the purpose of a graphical user interface (GUI)?

Accepted Answer

To provide a user-friendly interaction with the operating system

Answer

To enhance system performance

Answer

To manage hardware resources

Answer

To store user data

Question 31

What is the primary role of a compiler in software development?

Accepted Answer

To translate high-level code into machine code

Answer

To debug and optimize code

Answer

To create user interfaces

Answer

To manage memory

Question 32

Which practice is NOT a fundamental principle of software engineering?

Accepted Answer

Ad hoc development

Answer

Modular design

Answer

Thorough documentation

Answer

Rigorous testing

Question 33

Which software license allows you to change and share the software if certain rules are followed?

Accepted Answer

Open Source License

Answer

Proprietary License

Answer

Shareware License

Question 34

Which of the following is not a fundamental component of a computer system?

Accepted Answer

Printer

Answer

Processor (CPU)

Answer

Storage (Hard Drive)

Answer

Memory (RAM)

Question 35

What is the primary responsibility of an operating system in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

Manage system resources (hardware and software)

Answer

Process user instructions

Answer

Store and retrieve data

Answer

Run application programs

Question 36

Which of the following is an example of application software?

Accepted Answer

Spreadsheet program

Answer

Compiler

Answer

Device driver

Answer

Operating system

Question 37

Which of the following is a common type of computer network?

Accepted Answer

Local Area Network (LAN)

Answer

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Answer

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Answer

Hard disk drive

Question 38

What is a primary purpose of a firewall in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

Protect against unauthorized access and cyber threats

Answer

Run and execute application programs

Answer

Enhance internet speed and performance

Answer

Store and manage user files and data

Question 39

Which of the following represents a commonly used file format for word processing documents?

Accepted Answer

.docx

Answer

.exe

Answer

.sys

Answer

.dat

Question 40

What is the primary function of a compiler in software development?

Accepted Answer

Translate high-level programming code into machine-readable instructions

Answer

Interpret and execute code during program execution

Answer

Provide a user interface for interacting with software applications

Answer

Identify and correct errors in source code

Question 41

Which of the following is an example of a high-level programming language?

Accepted Answer

Python

Answer

Assembly language

Answer

Machine code

Answer

Binary code

Question 42

What is a key difference between a virus and a worm in the context of computer security?

Accepted Answer

Viruses require a host program to operate, while worms are standalone programs

Answer

Viruses are less harmful than worms

Answer

Worms are more prevalent than viruses

Question 43

Which component of a computer is responsible for fetching and executing instructions?

Accepted Answer

Processor

Answer

Storage device

Answer

Output device

Answer

Input device

Question 44

Which of the following characteristics applies to open-source software?

Accepted Answer

Available to the public for modification and distribution

Answer

Typically expensive to purchase

Answer

Only available for a limited time

Question 45

Which operating system is known for its stability, security, and wide range of software applications?

Accepted Answer

Unix

Answer

MacOS

Answer

iOS

Answer

Windows

Question 46

Which programming language is widely used for data analysis, machine learning, and scientific computing?

Accepted Answer

Python

Answer

SQL

Answer

C++

Answer

Java

Question 47

What is the primary function of a firewall in a network system?

Accepted Answer

To prevent unauthorized access and protect against cyberattacks

Answer

To detect and remove malware

Answer

To backup data

Answer

To improve network speed

Question 48

Which of the following devices is used to enter data and commands into a computer?

Accepted Answer

Keyboard

Answer

Printer

Answer

Scanner

Answer

Monitor

Question 49

In a computer system, what is the role of a bus?

Accepted Answer

To facilitate data transfer between different components

Answer

To store data

Answer

To connect to external devices

Answer

To process data

Question 50

Which of the following is an example of a cloud computing service model?

Accepted Answer

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Answer

Hard disk drive

Answer

Random access memory

Question 51

What is the main purpose of using a virtual machine?

Accepted Answer

To simulate a separate virtual computer environment within a single host computer

Answer

To detect and remove malware

Answer

To improve computer performance