121. What is the primary function of a Southbridge in a chipset?
- a) Manages slower I/O operations (USB, SATA, audio)
- b) Handles CPU-RAM communication
- c) Controls GPU operations
- d) Regulates power to the CPU
Answer: A - The Southbridge handles peripheral connectivity (e.g., storage, USB) in traditional architectures.
122. Which of these is a characteristic of NVMe SSDs compared to SATA SSDs?
- a) Uses PCIe interface for faster speeds
- b) Larger physical size
- c) Higher power consumption
- d) Limited to 600MB/s transfer rates
Answer: A - NVMe drives leverage PCIe lanes (up to 7000MB/s) vs. SATA's 600MB/s limit.
123. What is the purpose of the Windows Task Manager?
- a) Monitor system performance and manage running processes
- b) Create system backups
- c) Install hardware drivers
- d) Configure network firewalls
Answer: A - Task Manager shows CPU/RAM/disk usage and allows process termination.
124. Which component is responsible for real-time clock (RTC) functionality?
- a) CMOS chip
- b) GPU
- c) RAM
- d) PSU
Answer: A - The CMOS chip maintains time/date via the RTC, powered by the CMOS battery.
125. What does POST stand for in the boot process?
- a) Power-On Self-Test
- b) Peripheral Operating System Test
- c) Primary Output System Trial
- d) Processor Optimization Sequence Task
Answer: A - POST checks hardware functionality before booting the OS.
126. Which of these is a feature of DDR5 RAM compared to DDR4?
- a) Higher bandwidth and lower voltage
- b) Larger physical dimensions
- c) Incompatibility with modern motherboards
- d) Slower clock speeds
Answer: A - DDR5 offers ~4800-6400 MT/s speeds at 1.1V vs. DDR4's 3200 MT/s at 1.2V.
127. What is the purpose of a ZIF socket on a motherboard?
- a) Allows easy CPU installation without force
- b) Connects high-speed SSDs
- c) Provides wireless charging
- d) Manages RGB lighting
Answer: A - ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) sockets use levers to secure CPUs.
128. Which of these is a characteristic of microATX motherboards?
- a) Smaller than ATX but retains expansion capabilities
- b) Larger than E-ATX
- c) Supports only two RAM slots
- d) Cannot use standard PSUs
Answer: A - MicroATX (244×244mm) fits smaller cases while offering PCIe slots.
129. What is the function of a voltage regulator module (VRM) on a motherboard?
- a) Provides stable power to the CPU
- b) Converts AC to DC power
- c) Manages GPU clock speeds
- d) Controls fan RGB lighting
Answer: A - VRMs convert 12V from the PSU to lower voltages (e.g., 1.2V) for CPUs.
130. Which protocol is used for automatic IP address assignment in local networks?
- a) DHCP
- b) DNS
- c) FTP
- d) HTTP
Answer: A - DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) assigns IP addresses dynamically.
131. What is the purpose of a heatsink in a computer?
- a) Dissipates heat from components
- b) Stores temporary data
- c) Boosts Wi-Fi signals
- d) Converts AC to DC power
Answer: A - Heatsinks (often with fans) prevent CPU/GPU overheating.
132. Which of these is a type of non-volatile memory?
- a) Flash memory
- b) DRAM
- c) SRAM
- d) Cache memory
Answer: A - Flash memory (used in SSDs, USB drives) retains data without power.
133. What does the term "overclocking" refer to?
- a) Running a component at a higher speed than specified
- b) Cooling a CPU below ambient temperature
- c) Reducing power consumption
- d) Encrypting hard drive data
Answer: A - Overclocking increases performance but may cause overheating.
134. Which component converts digital signals to analog for modem communication?
- a) DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter)
- b) ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter)
- c) ALU
- d) GPU
Answer: A - DACs are used in modems, audio interfaces, and displays.
135. What is the purpose of the Windows Registry?
- a) Stores system and application settings
- b) Manages internet bandwidth
- c) Defragments hard drives
- d) Acts as a firewall
Answer: A - The Registry is a hierarchical database for OS/software configurations.
136. Which of these is a disadvantage of cloud computing?
- a) Dependency on internet connectivity
- b) Higher upfront hardware costs
- c) Limited scalability
- d) Slower data access than local storage
Answer: A - Cloud services require stable internet; outages disrupt access.
137. What is the function of a transistor in a CPU?
- a) Acts as a switch/amplifier for electronic signals
- b) Stores permanent data
- c) Converts sound to digital signals
- d) Powers the motherboard
Answer: A - Transistors form logic gates (millions/billions in modern CPUs).
138. Which of these is a feature of IPv6 compared to IPv4?
- a) Larger address space
- b) Shorter addresses
- c) Less secure
- d) No support for multicast
Answer: A - IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses (3.4×10³⁸ addresses) vs. IPv4's 32-bit.
139. What is the purpose of a QR code?
- a) Stores data in a machine-readable format
- b) Encrypts sensitive information
- c) Boosts Wi-Fi signals
- d) Functions as a computer virus
Answer: A - QR codes encode data (e.g., URLs, text) for quick scanning.
140. Which of these is a characteristic of a 64-bit processor?
- a) Can address more than 4GB of RAM
- b) Runs only 32-bit software
- c) Has fewer registers than a 32-bit CPU
- d) Slower clock speeds than 32-bit CPUs
Answer: A - 64-bit CPUs support larger memory addressing (theoretically up to 16 exabytes).