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GCSE Computer Science > 1.1 Systems Architecture > Flashcards

1.1 Systems Architecture Flashcards

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1
Q

Hardware

A

Physical components that make up a computer

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2
Q

Software

A

Programs or applications that a computer runs

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3
Q

What do computers do?

A

Input
Process (done by CPU)
Stores
Outputs data

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4
Q

CPU full form

A

Central Processing Unit

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5
Q

CPU

A

The brain of a computer system
Processes data + instructions to make the system work
-> its processing power depends on other components

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6
Q

Main components of the CPU

A

CU
ALU
Cache

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7
Q

CU

A

Control Unit
Fetches, decodes and executes program instructions (by following the fetch-execute cycle)

Controls the flow of data in the CPU

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8
Q

ALU

A

Arithmetic Logic Unit
Performs all calculations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
Performs logic operations: AND, OR, NOT, binary shifts

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9
Q

How does the ALU do multiplication and division?

A

Repeated addition and subtraction

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10
Q

What does the ALU contain?

A

The accumulator

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11
Q

Cache

A

Data storage in the CU
Stores regularly used data so that the CPU can access it quickly when needed for operations

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12
Q

How does the CPU check for data?

A

It checks the Cache first, then the RAM

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13
Q

Disadvantage of Cache

A

Low capacity and expensive

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14
Q

Different levels of cache

A

L1 - quickest, lowest capacity
L2 - slower, higher capacity
L3 - slower, higher capacity
L4 - slower, higher capacity

The levels increase in size, and decrease in speed

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15
Q

Von Neumann Architecture

A

Describes a system where the CPU runs programs stored in memory

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16
Q

What is a program?

A

Consists of data + instructions

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17
Q

What does the CU contain?

A

Program Counter

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18
Q

What does the ALU contain?

A

Accumulator

19
Q

What are the registers

A

MAR
MDR

20
Q

Program Counter

A

Holds the memory address of the instruction for each cycle

21
Q

MAR full form

A

Memory Address Register

22
Q

MDR full form

A

Memory Data Register

23
Q

MAR

A

Holds any memory address of an instruction or data, about to be used by the CPU

24
Q

MDR

A

Holds the actual instructions or data

25
Q

Memory

A

Holds program instructions or program data

26
Q

Accumulator

A

Stores intermediate results of calculations in the ALU

27
Q

Fetch - Execute Cycle

A

The process that the CPU uses to retrieve and execute instructions

28
Q

FETCH in Fetch - Execute Cycle

A
  1. Copy memory address from program counter to MAR
  2. Copy instruction stored in MAR address to the MDR
  3. Increment program counter, ready for next cycle
29
Q

DECODE in Fetch - Execute Cycle

A
  1. Instruction in MDR is decoded by the CU
30
Q

EXECUTE in Fetch - Execute Cycle

A
  1. The instruction is performed
31
Q

Factors that affect CPU performance

A

Clock Speed
Cache Size
Number of Cores
RAM Size
GPU

32
Q

Clock Speed

A

The number of instructions that a single process can carry out per second (Hz)

33
Q

Number of Cores

A

Each core works independently from eachother

34
Q

GPU full form

A

Graphics Processing Unit

35
Q

GPU

A

Specialised circuits for handling graphics + image processing

36
Q

How Clock Speed affects CPU performance

A

Higher clock speed = more instructions carried out per second

37
Q

How the Number of Cores affects CPU performance

A

More cores = more instructions carried out at once

38
Q

How RAM Size affects CPU performance

A

More RAM = more applications can smoothly run

39
Q

How GPU affects CPU performance

A

GPU = improved performance of graphic intensive applications (e.g. P.C. gaming)

40
Q

Advantages of Embedded Systems

A

Easy to deign
Cheap
More efficient at doing the designated task compared to a general purpose computer

41
Q

Embedded Systems

A

Computers inside a larger system/other device

42
Q

What are Embedded Systems dedicated to?

A

A single task

43
Q

Example of an Embedded System

A

Washing Machine
Microwave Oven

GCSE Computer Science (12 decks)

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