The CPU and Memory (Properties and Enhancements)

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to CPU and memory architecture as discussed in the lecture.

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

The main component of a computer that performs calculations and executes programs.

ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)

A component of the CPU that performs arithmetic and logic operations.

CU (Control Unit)

The part of the CPU that directs the operation of the processor and coordinates instruction execution.

Registers

Small, fast storage locations within the CPU used for specific purposes during processing.

Program Counter (PC)

A special register that contains the address of the next instruction to be executed.

MAR (Memory Address Register)

A register that holds the address of the memory location to be accessed.

MDR (Memory Data Register)

A register that holds the data being read from or written to memory.

Volatile Memory

Type of memory that loses its contents when the power is turned off, e.g., RAM.

Non-volatile Memory

Memory that retains its contents even when the power is off, e.g., ROM.

Cache Memory

A small amount of high-speed memory located between the CPU and main memory used to speed up data access.

CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer)

A type of CPU architecture that has many instructions and addressing modes.

RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)

A CPU architecture that uses a small set of simple instructions, enabling faster execution.

Fetch-Execute Cycle

The cycle in which the CPU retrieves an instruction from memory and executes it.

Paging

A memory management scheme that eliminates the need for contiguous allocation of physical memory.

Hit Ratio

The ratio of cache hits (successful data fetches from cache) to the total number of cache accesses.