Question 1

Which generation of computers used vacuum tubes as the primary electronic component?

Accepted Answer

The first generation of computers (1946-1956) relied on vacuum tubes for processing and memory storage.

Question 2

In which decade was the first general-purpose electronic computer, ENIAC, invented?

Accepted Answer

ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was completed in 1946 during the 1940s.

Question 3

Which technology replaced vacuum tubes in the second generation of computers?

Accepted Answer

The second generation (1956-1963) used transistors, which were smaller, faster, and more reliable than vacuum tubes.

Question 4

The third generation of computers is characterized by the introduction of which key component?

Accepted Answer

The third generation (1963-1971) marked the era of Integrated Circuits (ICs), which combined multiple transistors on a single chip.

Question 5

Which characteristic best defines the fourth generation of computers (1971-1980)?

Accepted Answer

The fourth generation introduced microprocessors and saw the rise of personal computers (PCs) like the Apple II and IBM PC.

Question 6

Which of the following computers is an example of the first generation?

Accepted Answer

UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) was one of the first general-purpose computers built in the first generation era using vacuum tubes.

Question 7

Which generation of computers used vacuum tubes as the primary electronic component?

Accepted Answer

First generation computers (1946-1956) relied on vacuum tubes for switching and amplification operations.

Question 8

Which of the following is a characteristic feature of Second Generation computers?

Accepted Answer

Second generation computers (1956-1963) replaced vacuum tubes with transistors, making them smaller and more reliable.

Question 9

In which decade did the Third Generation of computers emerge, marked by the introduction of integrated circuits?

Accepted Answer

Third generation computers emerged in the 1960s (1963-1971) with integrated circuits (ICs) replacing individual transistors.

Question 10

ENIAC, one of the earliest electronic computers, was completed in which year?

Accepted Answer

ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was completed in 1946 and is considered the first general-purpose electronic computer.

Question 11

Which generation of computers introduced the concept of microprocessors as their main computing element?

Accepted Answer

Fourth generation computers (1971-1980) utilized microprocessors, with Intel 4004 being the first commercial microprocessor.

Question 12

What was the primary storage medium used in First Generation computers?

Accepted Answer

First generation computers used magnetic tape and punch cards as primary storage media for input, output, and data storage.

Question 13

Which computer is often referred to as the first commercially successful computer of the Second Generation?

Accepted Answer

IBM System/360, introduced in 1964, was the first commercially successful mainframe computer of the second generation era using transistors.

Question 14

Which generation of computers introduced Integrated Circuits (ICs) as the primary component, operating at nanosecond speeds and consuming significantly less power than their predecessors?

Accepted Answer

The Third Generation computers used Integrated Circuits (ICs) which allowed multiple transistors on a single chip, providing faster processing, reduced power consumption, and improved reliability compared to discrete transistors of the Second Generation.

Question 15

The ENIAC computer, which marked the beginning of the First Generation of computers, was primarily based on which electronic component and required approximately how much electrical power to operate?

Accepted Answer

ENIAC (1946) used approximately 18,000 vacuum tubes as its primary electronic component and consumed about 150 kilowatts of electrical power, making it massive, hot, and expensive to operate.

CDS History & Generations of Computers

History & Generations of Computers — Practice Questions