CD-ROM:
The abbreviation of Compact Disc (CD) and Read-Only Memory (ROM), the CD-ROM is a read-only memory compact disc. Similarly to audio CDs, CD-ROMs may be read by computers. CD-ROMs may only be written once (their contents may not be deleted and replaced by other data, as opposed to a diskette), a specification to which they owe the "ROM" suffix. The storage capacity of a CD-ROM's equals 650 MB (650 Million bytes).

Chip:
A generic term for a semi-conducting integrated circuit. A few millimeters thick, chips are generally nearly-flat black quadrangles.

Clipping:
If an object in 3D space cannot be seen, the computer does not draw it. If it can be seen, it is drawn. If only a portion of the object is visible, then the object is "clipped" and the visible part drawn.

Clock speed:
Speed at which a graphics board's processor or memory operates, rated in MHz.

Color palette:
Can refer to two things:
1.
The total number of colors a system is capable of generating, even if they cannot all be displayed at once.
2. The colors that are being used on-screen at any given time.

Color space inversion:
A function which permits the superimposition of different graphics windows. For example, your video is running in a window and you run Word at the same time. If you change the gamma correction on the video with both windows side by side, the modification will only affect the film and not Word.

Core clock speed:
Speed at which the graphics processor operates.

CPU (Central Processing Unit):
The computer "brain". Programs generate the instructions, which the CPU then executes to generate an output. Graphics output is generated by the CPU in most computers, but many game systems use dedicated graphics co-processors to speed the generation of complex graphics, such as 3D polygon spaces.

CPU Time:
The time taken by the CPU to process data. 3D Prophet graphics boards require very little CPU time, allowing your PC processor to carry out other tasks without loss of speed or quality. This means there is no compromise between performance and display quality.

CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube):
A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is a specialized vacuum tube in which images are produced when an electron beam strikes a phosphorescent surface. Most desktop computer displays make use of CRTs. The CRT in a computer display is similar to the "picture tube" in a television receiver.

Cube environment mapping:
Until now, mirror effects have been mapped onto one single surface, which fails to create a fully realistic reflection on 3D objects (for example, a bottle). Cube environment mapping means that the reflections are mapped onto a 6-sided cube so that the reflections of movements are lifelike.

Culling:
A way of rasterizing convex objects: that is, not bothering to draw polygons on the backs of convex objects that will be hidden from view, such as spheres.