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Computer Science > 1.1 System Architecture > Flashcards

1.1 System Architecture Flashcards

1
Q

What’s the purpose of the CPU

A

TO manage basic operations of the computer, “the brain”

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2
Q

4 elements to form a basic computer system

A

1.INput
2. CPU
3.Output
$.Secondary Storage

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3
Q

2 main components of the CPU?

A

ALU and CU

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4
Q

Most common form of computer architecture

A

Von Neumann Architecture

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5
Q

What cycle does the CPU continuously do to process instructions

A

FDE cycle

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6
Q

What is data stored in a computer on?

A

Binary

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7
Q

Role of the register in the CPU

A

Hold on to temporary data and instructions being held by the CPU

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8
Q

What is the name of the register which keeps the address of the next instruction to be processed

A

PC - Programme Counter

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9
Q

Which register is used to store data that is fetched from main memory?

A

The memory data register (MDR)

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10
Q

Which register is used to tell the CPU where to locate this data?

A

The memory address register (MAR)

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11
Q

What is the name of the register that temporarily stores the results of logic operations and calculations during processing?

A

The accumulator (ACC)

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12
Q

What unit of measurement is used to describe the clock speed of a processor?

A

Hertz/Gigahertz

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13
Q

Suppose a CPU is capable of performing 1 billion operations per second. What is the clock speed of CPU?

A

1 GHz

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14
Q

Why does increasing the cache size increase the performance of the processor?

A

The CPU has more immediate access to data, instead of having to fetch the data from RAM, which is slower.

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15
Q

State one drawback of cache memory in comparison with main memory.

A

Cache memory is much more expensive than main memory.

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16
Q

Typically, around how large is the cache memory located closest to the CPU?

A

Anywhere between 2 and 64 kB

17
Q

Does doubling the number of cores exactly double the performance of a processor?

A

No

18
Q

What is meant by an ‘embedded’ system?

A

A computer system which forms part of an electronic device

19
Q

Give an example of an embedded system that could be found in the human body.

A

Pacemaker

20
Q

Give three examples of devices that you can find in your house that may contain an embedded system.

A
  1. Fridges 2. Microwaves 3. Digital clocks
21
Q

Cars are an example of an object with multiple embedded systems for performing different tasks. Suggest two uses for an embedded system in a car.

A
  1. Air conditioning 2. Parking sensors
22
Q

Suggest two reasons why a manufacturer may use embedded systems instead of general purpose computers in their products.

A
  1. They are cheaper 2. They can be smaller
23
Q

How do embedded systems and general-purpose computers differ?

A

Embedded systems generally perform a single simple task, and don’t have operating systems. General-purpose computer systems can perform multiple tasks and have an operating system.

24
Q

State two functions of the control unit.

A
  1. Sending signals to control the flow of data and instructions 2. Decoding instructions
25
Q

What is ‘cache memory’? Why is it useful during program execution?

A

A small section of extremely fast memory used to store commonly used instructions and data. It is useful as the CPU has direct access to the cache.

26
Q

Order the three levels of cache in order of proximity to the processor (1 = closest, 3 = furthest).

A
  1. L1 cache 2. L2 cache 3. L3 cache
27
Q

Explain the function of the ALU and give some examples of the operations that it carries out.

A

The ALU carries out mathematical operations / logical operations / shifting operations on data; examples include multiplication, division, logical comparisons.

28
Q

What is meant by an ‘address’ in the context of a CPU?

A

A location in the main memory which stores data or instructions

29
Q

Which bus is used to carry memory addresses from the CPU to main memory?

A

The address bus

30
Q

Describe the first process that occurs in the fetch and execute cycle.

A

(Instructions to be executed are / Data is) fetched from memory.

31
Q

Suppose data is fetched from main memory. Which register does it get stored in?

A

The memory data register (MDR)

32
Q

Suppose an instruction is fetched from main memory. Which register is does it get stored in?

A

The current instruction register (CIR)

33
Q

Which register is used to keep track of which memory location to look at for the next instruction?

A

The program counter (PC)

34
Q

Which part of the CPU is used to translate instructions into a set of operations that can be performed directly by the CPU?

A

The control unit

Computer Science (2 decks)

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