CBC Blockchain Architecture & Design Flashcards

Which consensus mechanism requires validators to lock up cryptocurrency as collateral to participate in block creation?

Answer: Proof of Stake

Proof of Stake requires validators to stake (lock up) cryptocurrency as collateral, which they forfeit if they act dishonestly.

In a blockchain network, what is the primary role of a full node?

Answer: Maintain a complete copy of the blockchain and validate all transactions

Full nodes store the entire blockchain history and independently validate every transaction and block against the protocol rules.

What is the Merkle tree structure used for in blockchain design?

Answer: Efficiently verifying transaction inclusion in a block

Merkle trees allow lightweight clients to verify whether a specific transaction is included in a block without downloading the entire block.

Which blockchain topology is best suited for a consortium of competing enterprises that require shared data but controlled access?

Answer: Permissioned consortium blockchain

A permissioned consortium blockchain allows known, vetted participants to share data while restricting access to unauthorized parties.

What does 'sharding' achieve in blockchain architecture?

Answer: Improves scalability by splitting the network into parallel processing groups

Sharding partitions the blockchain network into smaller shards that process transactions in parallel, significantly increasing overall throughput.

In blockchain design, what is a 'genesis block'?

Answer: The first block in a blockchain, hardcoded with no predecessor

The genesis block is the very first block in a blockchain, hardcoded into the protocol with no reference to a previous block hash.