1.1 Systems Architecture Flashcards
What are the 3 factors that affect CPU performance
- Clock speed
- Cache size
- Number of cores
What is the Von Neumann structure?
A type of CPU architecture which uses memory to store data and instructions
What does the Memory Address Register do?
Holds any memory ADDRESS about to be used by the CPU
What does the Memory Data Register do?
Holds the actual data or instruction to be executed by the CPU
What is the function of the Accumulator?
The part of the ALU which stores results of a calculation
What is a register?
A temporary data store inside a CPU
What is an address?
A specific memory location in a computer
What is the function of the Program Counter?
Holds the memory address of the next CPU instruction
What is the function of the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
The part of the CPU that carries out Logical and Boolean operations
What is the function of the Control Unit (CU)?
The part of a CPU that controls the flow of data
What is cache memory?
A small capacity, but quick memory store as part of the CPU
What is overclocking?
Running a CPU at a higher clock speed than was intended
Define instruction
A single operation by the processor
Define Clock Speed
the number of instructions a CPU can carry out each second (measured in Hz)
Define Cache Size
The size of the memory inside the CPU
