Architecture and Platforms Flashcards
7 cards from real Blockchain Technology practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Architecture and Platforms flashcards as text
What problem does the Lightning Network solve for Bitcoin?
Answer: It enables fast, low-cost off-chain payments through bidirectional payment channels
The Lightning Network creates bidirectional payment channels between users so that multiple transactions can occur off-chain, settling only the final balance on Bitcoin's blockchain.
What is a 'fork' in blockchain, and what distinguishes a hard fork from a soft fork?
Answer: A hard fork creates an incompatible protocol change requiring all nodes to upgrade, while a soft fork is backward-compatible
A hard fork introduces rule changes that make old nodes incompatible, potentially splitting the chain, while a soft fork tightens rules in a backward-compatible way.
What is 'chain reorganization' (reorg) in a blockchain network?
Answer: When a longer competing chain causes the network to replace a portion of the canonical chain
A chain reorganization occurs when a newly discovered chain with more cumulative work (or stake) replaces the current canonical chain, reverting recent blocks.
Which architectural pattern does Cosmos use to achieve blockchain interoperability?
Answer: The Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol connecting sovereign chains via hubs
Cosmos uses the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol to allow independent blockchains (zones) to transfer tokens and data through hub blockchains.
What is an 'oracle' in the context of smart contract architecture?
Answer: A service that provides off-chain real-world data to on-chain smart contracts
Oracles bridge the gap between blockchains and the external world by feeding real-world data (prices, weather, sports results) to smart contracts that cannot access it natively.
What is the purpose of a Merkle tree in blockchain architecture?
Answer: To efficiently and securely verify the inclusion of transactions within a block
A Merkle tree hashes transactions pairwise up to a root hash (Merkle root), stored in the block header, enabling efficient proof that a specific transaction is included without downloading all data.
What is the key architectural difference between account-based blockchains and UTXO-based blockchains?
Answer: Account-based models track balances in accounts like a bank, while UTXO models track unspent outputs from previous transactions
UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output) models like Bitcoin track discrete coins from prior transactions, while account models like Ethereum maintain running balances per address.