ESSENTIALS DATABASE

What are the main components of the CPU and their functions?

ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit): Performs arithmetic and logical operations.

Control Unit (CU): Directs the operation of the processor by controlling the flow of data within the CPU and to/from memory.

Registers: Small, fast storage locations used to hold data temporarily during processing.

What are the steps in the fetch-decode-execute cycle?

Fetch: The instruction is fetched from memory.
Decode: The instruction is decoded by the Control Unit.
Execute: The operation is performed by the ALU.

How does clock speed affect processor performance?

Clock speed determines how many instructions the CPU can process per second. Higher clock speed means more instructions per second, resulting in faster processing.

What is the difference between a single-core and a multi-core processor?

Single-core: One core processes instructions sequentially.

Multi-core: Multiple cores allow simultaneous processing of multiple instructions.

What are the different types of registers in the CPU?

Program Counter (PC): Holds the address of the next instruction.

Accumulator (ACC): Stores intermediate results.

MAR (Memory Address Register): Holds the address in memory for the next data fetch.

MDR (Memory Data Register): Holds the data being transferred to/from memory.

IR (Instruction Register): Holds the current instruction.

What is a bus and what role does it play in the CPU?

A bus is a set of physical connections used to transfer data between components in the CPU.

Types include Data bus, Address bus, and Control bus.

What is Von Neumann Architecture and its components?

Von Neumann Architecture: A computing architecture where data and instructions are stored in the same memory space.

Key components: CPU, Memory, I/O.

What is the difference between the machine cycle and instruction cycle?

Instruction cycle: The complete cycle of fetching, decoding, and executing a single instruction.

Machine cycle: The set of operations needed to fetch, decode, and execute an instruction.

What is cache memory and why is it important?

Cache memory is a small, fast type of memory that stores frequently used data to speed up access, faster than RAM.

What are interrupts in the context of the CPU, and why are they important?

Interrupts are signals that temporarily stop the CPU's current operation to process urgent tasks, allowing for multitasking and quick response to events.