Which of the following terms best describes the process of sending data to a connected printer?

The process of sending data to a connected printer is best described by the term spooling. Spooling stands for "Simultaneous Peripheral Operations Online" and refers to the technique where print jobs are temporarily stored in a queue before being sent to the printer for processing. This allows the computer to continue performing other operations while the printer is busy with the print job.

When spooling occurs, the data to be printed is first written to a hard drive or other storage medium, where it waits until the printer is ready to handle it. This is particularly useful for managing multiple print jobs and ensuring that printing is efficient and organized, allowing users to send several documents to the printer without having to wait for each one to finish before sending the next.

The other terms, while related to computing, refer to different processes. Querying involves retrieving data from a database, caching involves storing frequently accessed data for quicker retrieval, and streaming typically refers to the continuous transmission of audio or video data over the internet. Therefore, spooling is the most accurate choice for describing the process of sending data to a printer.