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WorksheetsOperating System Concepts Quiz
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 13mins
Which statement best describes the primary role of an operating system in a computer system?
It allows applications to directly communicate with hardware
It manages hardware resources and provides services to applications
It executes only background processes
It replaces the need for application software
Which of the following is NOT considered a core function of an operating system?
Managing processes and memory
Controlling input/output operations
Compiling high-level code into machine code
Managing files and directories
A system call is used primarily for which purpose?
To allow user programs to directly manipulate hardware
To provide a controlled interface for user programs to request kernel services
To translate programming code
To stop the operating system
The exec() system call is typically used for which operation?
Duplicating the calling process
Loading and running a new program in the current process space
Terminating a running process
Blocking a process until an event occurs
What makes threads “lightweight” compared to processes?
They have their own full memory space
They share a process’s resources, reducing overhead
They require more CPU time
They run in kernel mode only
Which of the following correctly describes thread memory sharing?
Threads share only the CPU but not memory
All threads of a process share code, data, and open files
Threads have completely independent memory regions
Threads cannot share any system resources
What is the main benefit of multithreading in modern operating systems?
It requires less programming effort
It allows multiple tasks within a process to run independently, improving performance
It increases memory usage intentionally
It disables multitasking
Which scenario best demonstrates multitasking?
One program running multiple functions
A computer running a browser, music player, and file download at the same time
A single-threaded program
A process waiting while another runs
What is the kernel responsible for in an operating system?
Displaying icons and windows
Managing memory, CPU, and hardware interactions
Providing device drivers only
Handling application-level functions only
Which of the following is NOT a type of kernel architecture?
Monolithic kernel
Microkernel
Hybrid kernel
Distributed kernel
In UNIX-like systems, which system call is responsible for creating a new process?
open()
fork()
join()
resume()
Preemptive multitasking allows the operating system to:
Let processes run until they voluntarily yield
Forcefully interrupt a process to allocate CPU to another process
Run only one process at a time
Stop multitasking entirely
What does the wait() system call do in process management?
Suspends all processes
Pauses the parent process until a child process finishes
Destroys a running process
Switches context between two processes
What is a key characteristic of a microkernel architecture?
All services run in kernel mode
Only minimal core services run in the kernel; others run in user space
It is slower than monolithic kernels
It contains no device drivers
Which scheduling algorithm executes processes in the order they arrive?
Shortest Job Next
First-Come, First-Served
Priority Scheduling
Multilevel Queue Scheduling
What is a major disadvantage of monolithic kernels?
They have poor performance
They are harder to debug and maintain due to their large size
They don’t support system calls
They don’t support multitasking
Why are system calls necessary in an OS?
They allow user programs to safely request services from the kernel
They let programs bypass the OS
They are optional for hardware access
They only work in real-time OS
Which statement best compares threads and processes?
Threads run independently with their own memory
Threads share resources of the process, while processes are isolated
Processes run inside threads
Threads cannot run concurrently
The Memory Management Unit (MMU) performs which key task?
Schedules CPU tasks
Translates virtual addresses into physical addresses
Manages I/O devices
Handles file permissions
Which OS component decides which process gets CPU time next?
File manager
Scheduler
Memory allocator
I/O handler
A context switch occurs when the OS:
Deletes unused memory
Switches CPU execution from one process/thread to another
Transfers data to I/O devices
Executes a system call
Which of the following is a classic example of a time-sharing operating system?
MS-DOS
UNIX
Windows 3.1
BIOS
Why are microkernels considered more reliable?
They run everything in kernel mode
Crashes in user-space services do not crash the entire system
They lack device drivers
They cannot support multitasking
What does a kernel panic represent?
A minor warning
A critical error that forces the OS to halt
A slow process
A network timeout
Which CPU scheduling approach selects the process with the least execution time first?
Priority scheduling
First-Come, First-Served
Shortest Job Next (SJN)
Round Robin
