Lecture Notes on CPU Structure & Instruction

These flashcards cover key concepts related to CPU structure, organization, types of processors, and the instruction cycle, based on the lecture notes.

CPU Organization

Refers to the structure and functioning of the CPU, including components like ALU, CU, Registers, and Cache.

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

Executes all arithmetic and logical operations within the CPU.

Control Unit (CU)

Directs CPU operations and manages data.

Single Core Processor

An older type of CPU with a single core that can perform one operation at a time.

Dual-Core Processor

A CPU with two cores that can work faster than a single-core processor by executing tasks in parallel.

Quad-Core Processor

Contains four independent cores to execute multiple instructions simultaneously for increased performance.

Instruction Cycle

The process a CPU follows to execute a single instruction, typically including Fetch, Decode, Execute, Memory Access, and Write-Back stages.

Pipeline Hazards

Issues that occur in CPU instruction execution such as data hazards, control hazards, and structural hazards.

Instruction Pipelining

Technique that allows a CPU to begin executing a new instruction before the previous one has completed.

RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)

A CPU design philosophy that emphasizes a small set of instructions and operations primarily on data stored in registers.