7.1 Internal Hardware Components of a Computer Flashcards
What does a processor do within a computer?
Executes program instructions in order to run applications.
What is Main memory and its role in a computer?
Main memory includes RAM and ROM, to store program instructions and frequently used data. it is usually much faster than secondary storage
What is a bus and its role in a computer?
A bus is a series of parallel wires that connects the internal components of a computer system, allowing signals to be passed between them.
Define what is meant by the width of a bus?
the number of parallel wires. has a direct relationship between the number of its bits it can transfer
What are the 3 buses?
Address bus, Data bus, control bus
What does the address bus do?
Used to transport memory addresses, specifying where data is to be sent or retrieved from.
Explain the effect of increasing an address bus’s width?
Increases the range of addresses that it can specify and therefore increasing the computer’s amount of addressable memory.
What does the data bus do?
Sends data and instructions to and from the different components of the computer system.
Explain the effect of increasing the width of the data bus?
Increases the volume of data that can be transferred over the bus at any time.
what does the control bus do?
Carry out control signals that regulate the operation of the computer system. It also carries the clock signal.
What are I/O controllers?
Pieces of hardware that control the communication of data between the processor and external hardware devices.
What are the two ways of setting up main memory?
Von Neumann and Harvard architectures
How does Harvard architecture work?
the processor will use 2 separate main memory locations. One for instructions and another for data.
What is the advantage of Harvard architecture?
Due to its use of separate pieces of main memory, it can give each piece of main memory different characteristics.
When is Harvard architecture commonly used?
In embedded systems
How does Von Neumann architecture work?
Both instructions and data are stored together in the same memory.
Why do systems based on Von Neumann architecture tend to perform worse?
The same buses have to be shared for fetching both instructions and data.
When is Von Neumann architecture used?
In everyday general-purpose computer systems.
