Architecture of CPU 1.1.1

Question 1

Describe what happens at the end of the fetch execute cycle?

Answer 1

The process is repeated. The program counter is incremented

Question 2

What operations does the ALU perform?

Answer 2

Performs maths and logic functions.

Question 3

What does the Control Unit (CU) do?

Answer 3

Decodes instructions. Sends control signals to co-ordinate the movement of data through the processor.

Question 4

Describe what the function of Address Bus is?

Answer 4

Transmits the address of data to be loaded from the CPU to memory. It goes one way.

Question 5

Describe what the function of Data Bus is?

Answer 5

The data bus transmits data between components. It goes in both directions

Question 6

Describe what the function of Control Bus is?

Answer 6

The control bus transmits command, timing, and status information between components. It goes in both directions

Question 7

What is a CPU register?

Answer 7

The section of high-speed memory within the CPU that stores data to be processed.

Question 8

State two features of the MAR?

Answer 8

It is a register. It stores a single address

Question 9

What is the function of the MDR?

Answer 9

Temporarily stores data read from or written to memory.

Question 10

What is the function of the Program Counter?

Answer 10

Stores the address of the next (or current) instruction to be run

Question 11

What is the function of the Accumulator?

Answer 11

Stores the result of calculations/processes

Question 12

What is the function of MAR?

Answer 12

Stores the address from which data or an instruction is to be read / written.

Question 13

What is the function of CIR?

Answer 13

Holds the current instruction, divided into operand and opcode.

Question 14

What are the features of Harvard Architecture?

Answer 14

Data and instructions are stored and fetched separately.
Processes instructions and data at the same time.
Faster and more complex

Question 15

What is meant by pipeline?

Answer 15

Completing more instructions in a clock cycle by using every register constantly.

Question 16

What is clock speed(Hz)?

Answer 16

The number of fetch, decode, execute cycles the processor performs per second.

Question 17

What is cache memory?

Answer 17

Memory in the CPU used to store frequently used instructions.

Question 18

What are cores?

Answer 18

The number of arithmetic and control units the processor contains.

Question 19

Why is cache memory useful?

Answer 19

Data is transferred faster from cache than other sources.
Therefore the CPU can process instructions quicker.
More cache means more instructions.

Question 20

Why is a faster clock speed important?

Answer 20

The CPU broadcasts a signal of 1, then 0, on a loop.
All other devices use this signal to time their actions.
A faster clock means more actions, but more heat.

Question 21

Why is multiprocessing useful?

Answer 21

Each core can complete a different task at the same time.
Several problems can be completed concurrently.
Most programs can therefore run faster.

Question 22

What is a register?

Answer 22

A section of high speed memory built into the CPU