Intro: Common Internal Computing Components

Which component is the main circuit board connecting all internal components?

• Power supply

• Expansion card

• Motherboard

• Storage drive

Answer explanation

The motherboard is the central circuit board linking the CPU, RAM, storage, and peripherals so they can communicate. A power supply delivers electricity but does not interconnect components.

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Blooms Level: Remember

Which component stores firmware that runs the first checks when a computer powers on?

• GPU chip

• NIC chip

• BIOS chip

• RAM chip

Answer explanation

The BIOS chip holds firmware that initializes hardware and runs the power-on self-test before the operating system loads. RAM is temporary storage, not firmware.

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Blooms Level: Remember

A technician needs to add network connectivity to a desktop that has no built-in NIC. What should the technician install?

• Additional RAM

• Expansion NIC

• Secondary CPU

• Onboard NIC

Answer explanation

An expansion NIC is an add-in card installed in a motherboard slot to provide network connectivity when no onboard NIC is present.

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Blooms Level: Apply

Which component handles complex graphics rendering in a gaming PC?

• RAM module

• NIC port

• CPU core

• GPU chip

Answer explanation

The GPU is designed to process and render graphics. The CPU handles general tasks, but the GPU is specialized for visual output.

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Blooms Level: Remember

Which component temporarily holds data the CPU is actively processing?

• Hard drive

• BIOS chip

• RAM module

• Expansion card

Answer explanation

RAM provides fast, temporary storage for data the CPU is currently using. Unlike a hard drive, RAM loses its contents when power is removed.

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Blooms Level: Apply

Which component fetches, decodes, and executes program instructions?

• Storage drive

• CPU chip

• GPU chip

• RAM module

Answer explanation

The CPU fetches, decodes, and executes program instructions. The GPU handles graphics tasks, and RAM stores data temporarily, but instruction execution is the CPU's core role.

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Blooms Level: Remember

Which motherboard feature provides network access without requiring a separate expansion card?

• Onboard NIC

• Secondary BIOS

• Extra RAM slot

• Dedicated GPU slot

Answer explanation

An onboard NIC is built into the motherboard and provides network connectivity without a separate card. A dedicated GPU slot adds graphics capability, not network access.

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Blooms Level: Apply