computer sciencee 1.1

What does the Arithmetic logic unit do?

• Logical operations: such as AND, OR, NOT

• Addition, Subtraction, Division, Multiplication

What is the purpose of the control unit?

• Ensures the execution of instructions in the correct sequence

• Decodes every instruction that the processor will execute

Define clock speed.

Clock speed is the measure of how quickly a CPU can process instructions.

Explain the fetch decode and execute cycle.

-Fetch

Each instruction is fetched from memory (in order), and put into the appropriate registers. The control unit can then access the instruction for the next stages.

-Decode

The instructions (which are received in binary) need to be decoded before they can be run. This is the process the control unit uses to work out what the other components need to do.

Each processor will have slightly different encodings for instructions.

-Execute

The control unit will tell the other components what they need to do in order for the instruction to work.

Why is cache memory important?

A cache is a high-speed memory that sits close to or can be directly on the processor; it is used to store the instructions and data most frequently used.

Why is it important to have multiple cores?

Generally speaking, the more cores a computer has, the more instructions it can execute. As a result, the computer will perform more efficiently than computers with the same type of processor but fewer cores.

What is clock speed?

The clock is an electronic oscillator that produces a signal to synchronise the operation of the processor.

Name some embedded systems.

• Washing machine

• Electronic car systems

• Coffee machine

• Bluetooth Speaker

• Digital microwave

• Watches

• Fitness trackers

• Vacuum robot