CS THEORY - PHYSICAL COMPUTING

CPU

central processing unit - executes programs

RAM

random acccess memory - holds data and instructions which the CPU is currently using

hard disk storage

stores data and instructions long term when they are not being used

input and output devices

interact with the computer system

microprocessors

small computing units that execute instructions and process data in a computer.

microcontrollers

tine, single purpose computers that do one thing well

microcontrollers embedded

control the features or actions of the product

microcontrollers dedicated

to one task and run one specific program

microcontrollers cost and siz3

small and low cost

ROM

read only memory

EEPROM

electronically erasable programmable read only memory

timer

a register which acts a counter, increments on each pulse of the clock

I/O

input and output signals are handled within the microcontroller itself

analogue signals

continuous signals

digital signals

discrete signals that represent binary values, typically using two voltage levels for 0 and 1.