History of Computers Questions and Answers

Answer: B

Correct answer: Vacuum Tubes and Valves

The vacuum tube, or valve, was the switching element of the first generation. Transistors and integrated circuits define the second and third generations.

Answer: B

Correct answer: Transistors

The second generation replaced the vacuum tube with the transistor, which is far smaller, needs much less power and lasts far longer. LSI and VLSI are later degrees of integration belonging to the third and fourth generations.

Answer: A

Correct answer: First

First generation machines used thousands of vacuum tubes, which consumed enormous power, produced great heat needing constant air conditioning, and burnt out often enough to require continual replacement. Every later generation reduced all three costs.

Answer: A

Correct answer: Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata

India's first computer, an HEC-2M, was installed at the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta in 1955.

Answer: A

Correct answer: milliseconds

First generation machines worked in milliseconds - thousandths of a second. Microseconds came with transistors, nanoseconds with integrated circuits, and picoseconds are faster than any of the five generations achieved.

Answer: B

Correct answer: LSI chips

Modern computers are built from large-scale integrated circuits. Magnetic cores and vacuum tubes belong to the first and second generations, and magnetic tape is used for backup rather than for primary memory.

Answer: B

Correct answer: Vacuum tubes

First generation machines - ENIAC, EDVAC, UNIVAC I - switched with vacuum tubes, which is why they were enormous, drew great quantities of power and failed often. Transistors came with the second generation, integrated circuits with the third and microprocessors with the fourth.