ESSENTIALS DATABASE

Flashcard 1: CPU Components

Q: What are the main components of the CPU and their functions? A:

• 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 (e.g., Accumulator, Program Counter).

Flashcard 2: Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle

Q: What are the steps in the fetch-decode-execute cycle? A:

1. Fetch: The instruction is fetched from memory (address in Program Counter).

2. Decode: The instruction is decoded by the Control Unit to determine the operation.

3. Execute: The operation is performed by the ALU or data is transferred to/from memory.

Flashcard 3: Clock Speed

Q: How does clock speed affect processor performance? A:

• Clock speed determines how many instructions the CPU can process per second (measured in GHz).

• Higher clock speed means more instructions per second, resulting in faster processing.

Flashcard 4: Cores and Parallel Processing

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

• Single-core: One core processes instructions sequentially.

• Multi-core: Multiple cores allow simultaneous processing of multiple instructions, improving performance and multitasking.

Flashcard 5: Registers in Detail

Q: What are the different types of registers in the CPU? A:

• Program Counter (PC): Holds the address of the next instruction to be executed.

• Accumulator (ACC): Stores intermediate results during calculations.

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

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

• IR (Instruction Register): Holds the current instruction being executed.

Flashcard 6: Bus

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

• A bus is a set of physical connections used to transfer data between components in the CPU (e.g., memory, I/O devices).

• Types of buses: Data bus, Address bus, and Control bus.

Flashcard 7: Von Neumann Architecture

Q: What is Von Neumann Architecture and its components? A:

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

• Key components:

  • CPU: Performs computations.

  • Memory: Stores instructions and data.

  • I/O: Manages input and output devices.

Flashcard 8: Machine Cycle vs Instruction Cycle

Q: What is the difference between the machine cycle and instruction cycle? A:

• 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 in hardware.

Flashcard 9: Cache Memory

Q: What is cache memory and why is it important? A:

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

• It is faster than RAM and reduces the time the CPU takes to fetch data.

Flashcard 10: Interrupts

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

• Interrupts are signals that temporarily stop the CPU’s current operation to process more urgent tasks (e.g., input from the keyboard or mouse).

• They allow for multitasking and quicker response to events.