CPU Structure & Instruction Flashcards

Control Unit

Manages hardware and coordinates the flow of data.

ALU

Performs all mathematical and logical calculations.

Registers

Small, high-speed storage locations inside the CPU.

Program Counter (PC)

Holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched.

Accumulator (AC)

Stores the results of calculations from the ALU.

Cache

Fast memory that stores frequently used data for quick access.

Fetch Stage

Retrieve an instruction from the main memory (RAM).

Decode Stage

The Control Unit interprets the instruction to see what action is needed.

Execute Stage

The CPU carries out the instruction, such as moving data or performing a calculation.

Clock Speed

The number of instructions a processor can execute per second (measured in Hertz).

Cores

Independent processing units within a CPU that can run separate tasks simultaneously.

MAR

Memory Address Register; holds the location in memory where data is fetched or stored.

MBR/MDR

Memory Buffer/Data Register; holds the actual data or instruction being moved from/to memory.

Instruction Register (IR)

Holds the instruction that is currently being decoded and executed.

Buses

Physical pathways (wires) used to transfer data between components.

Data Buses

Carries the actual binary data between the CPU and memory.

Address Bus

Carries information about where data needs to go in the memory.

Control Bus

Carries command signals (like "read" or "write") from the CU.

Von Neumann Architecture

A design where both data and instructions are stored in the same memory.

Overclocking

Increasing the clock speed of a CPU to make it run faster than its factory setting.