comp sci

What is the Central Processing Unit (CPU)?

The CPU, or Processor, is the main component of a computer that performs calculations and runs instructions.

What does the Control Unit (CU) do in a CPU?

The Control Unit reads instructions from memory, interprets them, and sends signals to other components to synchronize data flow and execute program instructions.

What is the function of the Arithmetic & Logic Unit (ALU)?

The ALU performs mathematical and logical operations required while running a program.

What does the System Clock do in a CPU?

The System Clock produces timing signals to ensure synchronization of operations within the CPU.

What is Immediate Access Store (IAS)?

The IAS holds all data and programs that the CPU needs to access quickly, temporarily storing data from backing storage.

Define Cache Memory and its purpose.

Cache Memory is faster access memory that stores frequently used instructions by the CPU to improve performance.

What is the Address Bus?

The Address Bus carries memory addresses from the CPU to other components and is unidirectional.

What is a USB port?

A USB port is an asynchronous serial data transmission method that transfers data one bit at a time.

What does an Operating System do?

An Operating System manages hardware and software resources, allowing applications to run and providing an interface between them and the user.

What is the role of utility software?

Utility software performs maintenance tasks for computers, such as virus checking, disk formatting, and file management.

What is a DLL (Dynamic Link Library)?

A DLL is a library that contains code and data that can be used by multiple programs simultaneously, allowing for modular programming.

What is machine code?

Machine Code is the low-level programming language that the CPU uses, represented in binary.

What are the types of addressing modes?

Types of addressing modes include Absolute, Direct, Indirect, Indexed, Immediate, Relative, and Symbolic addressing.

What is bit manipulation?

Bit manipulation refers to the act of algorithmically manipulating bits or binary digits, such as using logical shifts.

What is a virus checker?

A virus checker scans software or files for known viruses and can perform heuristic checks to identify potential threats.

Define Compile time and run time in context of high-level languages.

Compile time is when code is translated to machine code before execution, while run time is when the code is executed, potentially using Dynamic Link Libraries.

What does the term 'fetch execute cycle' refer to?

The fetch execute cycle is the process by which the CPU retrieves an instruction from memory, decodes it, and executes it.

What is the status register (SR) used for?

The Status Register contains flags that indicate the result of operations, such as zero, carry, overflow, and negative results.