INTERNETWORKING I

 

CHAPTER 4 STUDY GUIDE

 

What are the parts of an atom?

 

protons, neutrons, electrons

 

What creates static electricity?

 

loosened electrons that stay in one place without moving

 

What does ESD stand for?

 

electrostatic discharge

 

What is an insulator?

 

materials that allow electrons to flow with difficulty or not at all through them (high resistance)

 

What is a conductor?

 

materials that allow electrons to flow easily through them (low resistance)

 

What is the definition of voltage?

 

electrical force or pressure that is applied to charges. It occurs whenever negative charges (like electrons) are separated from positive charges (like protons). Also referred to as electromotive force (EMF)

 

What is the definition of current?

 

the flow of charges created when electrons move in electrical circuits. Current flows from negative to positive.

 

What is the definition of resistance?

 

the opposition of movement of electrons.

 

What is the measurement of resistance?

 

ohms (Ω)

 

 

 

What does AC stand for?

 

Alternating current

 

What does DC stand for?

 

Direct current

 

How do the two above things differ? Give an example of each.

 

AC current flows continually reverses its polarity which switches the direction of current flow. DC always flows in one direction and doesn’t reverse its polarity.

AC example: power lines to homes (in the US)

DC examples: batteries, computer power supply output, solar cells, DC generators, power lines to homes in Europe

 

What is used for the safety ground connection on a PC?

 

the chassis of the computer is usually used as the safety ground, but any exposed metal part will work.

 

What is a multimeter?

 

a piece of testing equipment used for measuring voltage, current, resistance, and other electrical qualities.

 

How do you set a multimeter to measure voltage?

 

it needs to be set to AC or DC in order to measure voltage.

 

What are the three required parts of an electrical circuit?

 

source or battery

complete path

load or resistance

 

What is an analog signal? How does it differ from a digital signal?

 

analog signals are sine waves. They are wavy and have a continuously varying voltage-versus-time graph.

digital signals are “square” waves with precise voltages—basically, on and off; therefore, the main difference is how they deal with voltage.

 


What is the definition of propagation?

 

travel of a network signal through the media

 

What is the definition of attenuation?

 

the weakening of a data signal as it moves through the media. Signals lose energy as they move through the media due to resistance to the media itself.

 

What is the definition of reflection in electrical signals?

 

it is the result of impedance mismatch in electrical signals. When voltage hits a discontinuity, some energy is reflected. This occurs in any change in a material’s final stop (connection to another material). This energy can confuse other bits on the medium.

 

What causes crosstalk?

 

near end crosstalk (NEXT) is caused by electrical noise on a wire in a cable interfering with voltage on another wire in that same cable.

 

What does EMI stand for? What are some causes of it?

 

Electromagnetic Interference. It is caused by outside influences such as electric motors, florescent lights, and lightening.

 

What is cancellation? How is it achieved in UTP cable?

 

it is a type of shielding for cable. UTP uses twisting of pairs of wires to achieve the cancellation effect.

 

What is the definition of latency?

 

it is the delay time it takes for a signal to travel.

 

What typically causes a collision on a data cable?

 

two computers sending data at exactly the same time over the same cable.

 

What is the definition of encoding?

 

converting data to bits so it can travel across a physical communication medium.

 

What are two methods of encoding used today?

 

NRZ (Non-Return to Zero), Manchester, (NRZI) Non-Return to Zero Inverted, 4B/5B