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Computer Science AS Level > 1.1 The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices > Flashcards

1.1 The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices Flashcards

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1
Q

What does the ALU do?

A

It completes all the arithmetical and logical operations

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2
Q

What is the CU?

A

A part of the processor which directs operations inside the CPU

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3
Q

What are registers?

A

Small memory cells that operate at high speeds

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4
Q

Where do all the arithmetic, logic, or shift operations occur?

A

In registers

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5
Q

What does the PC do?

A

The PC holds the address of the next instruction

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6
Q

In which part of the CPU do all calculations take place?

A

The ALU

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7
Q

Where are intermediate arithmetic and logic results stored?

A

In the ACC

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8
Q

What does the MAR do?

A

Holds the address of a location that is to be read from or written to

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9
Q

What does the MDR do?

A

Temporarily stores the data that has just been read from or the data needs to be written

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10
Q

What does the CIR do?

A

Holds the current instruction divided up into opcode and operand

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11
Q

What is a bus?

A

A set of parallel wires connecting two or more components together

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12
Q

What is the system bus?

A

The collection of the data bus, address bus, and control bus is called the system bus

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13
Q

What is the width of a bus?

A

The number of parallel wires it has

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14
Q

What is the data bus?

A

A bidirectional bus used to transport data and instructions between components

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15
Q

What is the control bus?

A

The bi-directional bus used to transmit control signals between internal and external components

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16
Q

What is the address bus used for?

A

Used to transmit the memory address specifying where data is to be sent from or retrieved from

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17
Q

What does adding a wire to the address bus do to the number of addressable locations?

A

It doubles the number of addressable locations

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18
Q

What does the Bus Request indicate?

A

Indicated a device is requesting access to the data bus

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19
Q

What does Bus Grant indicate?

A

Indicates the CPU has granted access to the data bus

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20
Q

What does memory write do?

A

Causes the data on the data bus to be written into the addressed location

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21
Q

What does memory read do?

A

Causes the data from the addressed location to be placed onto the data bus

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22
Q

What does the interrupt request control signal indicate?

A

Indicates that a device is requesting access to the CPU

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23
Q

What is the clock control signal used for?

A

It is used to synchronize instructions

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24
Q

What is opcode?

A

Opcode is used to determine the type of instruction and what hardware to use to execute it

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25
Q

What is the operand?

A

The operand is the address of where the operation is performed

26
Q

What occurs during the fetch phase?

A
  • The address from the PC is copied to the MAR
  • Instruction held at that address is copied to the MDR by the data bus, simultaneously the contents of the PC is incremented by 1
  • The value of the MDR is copied to the CIR
27
Q

What occurs during the decode phase?

A

The contents of the CIR is split into operand and opcode

28
Q

What occurs during the execute phase?

A

The opcode is executed on the data

29
Q

What is the clock speed?

A

The number of clock cycles completed per second

30
Q

What is cache memory?

A

Cache memory is the CPU’s onboard memory which can be accesses a lot faster than main memory

31
Q

What is Von Neumann architecture?

A

Architecture in which there is a single shared memory and shared data bus for both data and instructions

32
Q

What is Harvard architecture?

A

Architecture in which there is two separate memory and data buses for data and instructions

33
Q

What is contemporary processing?

A

Processing in which Von Neumann architecture is used for main memory. Cache uses Harvard architecture, divided into instructions, cache and data cache

34
Q

What does RISC mean?

A

Reduced Instruction Set Computer

35
Q

What does CISC mean?

A

Complex Instruction Set Computer

36
Q

What are the properties of RISC?

A
  • Small instruction set
  • Each instruction is one line of machine code
  • Used in everyday devices
37
Q

What are the properties of CISC?

A
  • A large instruction set
  • Instructions are built into hardware
  • Used in embedded systems and microprocessors
38
Q

What are the benefits of RISC processors?

A

Pipelining is possible since each instruction takes one clock cycle

39
Q

What are the benefits of CISC processors?

A
  • Compilers have to do less work
  • They require less RAM since instructions are smaller
40
Q

What are multi-core systems?

A

Systems where there are multiple cores that separate fetch-execute cycles

41
Q

What are parallel systems?

A

Systems where multiple instructions can be completed at any given time, doesn’t require multiple cores, it can use threading and pipelining instead

42
Q

Give two types of magnetic storage

A
  • Hard Disk Drive
  • Floppy Disk
  • Magnetic Tape
43
Q

Give three examples of input devices

A
  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
  • Microphone
  • Webcam
  • Touchpad
  • Barcode reader
  • Magnetic Stripe Reader
44
Q

Give an example of a device which is used for both input and output

A

Touchscreen

45
Q

What name is given to the areas on a CD’s surface which have been burned into grooves by a laser?

A

Pits

46
Q

Give three examples of output devices

A
  • Speaker
  • Monitor
  • Printer
  • Projector
47
Q

Which has the highest typical storage capacity: CD, DVD or Blu-Ray?

A

Blu-Ray

48
Q

In a HDD what is mounted at the end of the actuating arm?

A

Read/write head

49
Q

Which storage device has typical capacities in the range 500GB-5TB?

A

HDD

50
Q

Give 2 disadvantages of SSDs

A
  • High cost per GB
  • Limited lifespan
51
Q

How is information stored in flash memory?

A

Information is stored in blocks which are then combined to form pages

52
Q

Which two types of logic gates are used in flash storage?

A

NAND and NOR

53
Q

Give 3 advantages of SSDs

A

High transfer speeds
Lightweight
No moving parts

54
Q

Give 2 disadvantages of SSDs

A
  • Expensive
  • Limited read/writes
55
Q

What is ROM?

A
  • Small piece of read-only memory
  • Non volatile
  • Contains very first instructions for the computer (bootstrap)
56
Q

What is RAM?

A
  • Temporary storage of instructions and data
  • Holds information being executed by the processor
  • Volatile
  • Much faster than the hard disk
57
Q

What is virtual storage?

A
  • The concept of storing and receiving data over the internet in the cloud instead of a local storage device
58
Q

What are the advantages of Cloud storage?

A
  • Data can be accessed at any time, from any device as long as there is internet access
  • Data can be easily shared without the need for removable media transfer
  • Easy collaboration
  • Storage considered to be ‘limitless’ from the user’s point of view
59
Q

What are the disadvantages of cloud storage?

A
  • Can become quite expensive
  • If connectivity is low, access times can be slow
  • No internet connection = no access to your files
60
Q

What can virtual storage also refer to?

A
  • The abstraction or separation of logical storage from physical storage

Computer Science AS Level (4 decks)

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