3/20/26, 3:14 PM 473
WGU D473 Solutions Design and Visualization
Capstone Task 1 and 2 Templates | 2026 Update
with complete solutions.
What is a memory leak?
Allocated memory never freed.
What is a stack frame?
Activation record storing locals and return address.
What is an OS fundamentally?
A privileged resource manager that multiplexes hardware safely and efficiently.
What illusion does CPU virtualization create?
Many processes appear to run simultaneously on one CPU.
What illusion does memory virtualization create?
Each process appears to have a large private address space.
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,3/20/26, 3:14 PM 473
What is limited direct execution?
User code runs directly on hardware but OS regains control via traps/interrupts.
Why dual mode?
To enforce protection between user and kernel.
What is the difference between kernel mode and user mode?
Kernel has full privilege; user mode is restricted.
What causes a trap?
System call, privileged instruction, or CPU-detected fault.
What causes an interrupt?
External hardware event like timer, disk, network.
What is the difference between trap and interrupt?
Trap is synchronous; interrupt is asynchronous.
What is preemption?
OS forcibly takes CPU from running process via timer interrupt.
/ 2/16
, 3/20/26, 3:14 PM 473
Why is a timer interrupt necessary?
Prevents CPU monopolization.
What is a process?
A running program with its own address space and OS metadata.
What is PCB?
Process Control Block storing registers, state, PID, etc.
What is the difference between Running and Ready states?
Running is executing; ready is waiting in run queue.
What is context switch?
Saving one process state and restoring another.
What must be saved in a context switch?
Registers, PC, SP, flags, kernel stack pointer.
What is turnaround time?
Submission to completion time.
/ 3/16
WGU D473 Solutions Design and Visualization
Capstone Task 1 and 2 Templates | 2026 Update
with complete solutions.
What is a memory leak?
Allocated memory never freed.
What is a stack frame?
Activation record storing locals and return address.
What is an OS fundamentally?
A privileged resource manager that multiplexes hardware safely and efficiently.
What illusion does CPU virtualization create?
Many processes appear to run simultaneously on one CPU.
What illusion does memory virtualization create?
Each process appears to have a large private address space.
/ 1/16
,3/20/26, 3:14 PM 473
What is limited direct execution?
User code runs directly on hardware but OS regains control via traps/interrupts.
Why dual mode?
To enforce protection between user and kernel.
What is the difference between kernel mode and user mode?
Kernel has full privilege; user mode is restricted.
What causes a trap?
System call, privileged instruction, or CPU-detected fault.
What causes an interrupt?
External hardware event like timer, disk, network.
What is the difference between trap and interrupt?
Trap is synchronous; interrupt is asynchronous.
What is preemption?
OS forcibly takes CPU from running process via timer interrupt.
/ 2/16
, 3/20/26, 3:14 PM 473
Why is a timer interrupt necessary?
Prevents CPU monopolization.
What is a process?
A running program with its own address space and OS metadata.
What is PCB?
Process Control Block storing registers, state, PID, etc.
What is the difference between Running and Ready states?
Running is executing; ready is waiting in run queue.
What is context switch?
Saving one process state and restoring another.
What must be saved in a context switch?
Registers, PC, SP, flags, kernel stack pointer.
What is turnaround time?
Submission to completion time.
/ 3/16
