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CMIS 310 Computer Systems and Architecture > Chapter 1 - Introduction > Flashcards

Chapter 1 - Introduction Flashcards

1
Q

Define Computer Organization

A

* Addressing issues such as control signals and memory types
* Encompasses all physical aspects of computer systems

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2
Q

The following is an aspect of what:

*Addressing issues such as control signals and memory types

A

Computer Organization

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3
Q

The following is an aspect of what:
* Encompasses all physical aspects of computer systems

A

Computer Organization

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4
Q

What is Computer Architecture?

A

The structure and behavior of a computer system, including the logical/ abstract aspects of system implementation by a programmer

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5
Q

What does the following describe:

* The structure and behavior of a computer system

A

Computer Architecture

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6
Q

What is included as an aspect of computer architecture?

A

The logical/ abstract aspects of a system implemented by a programmer

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7
Q

What are some logical/ abstract aspects of computer architecture?

A

* Instruction sets and formats
* Operation codes
* Data types
* Various I/O mechanisms
* The number and types of registers
* Addressing modes
* Main memory access methods

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8
Q

What is the following describing in terms of computer architecture:

* Instruction sets and formats

A

A logical and abstract aspects of computer architecture

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9
Q

What is the following describing in terms of computer architecture:

* Operation codes

A

A logical and abstract aspect of computer architecture

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10
Q

What is the following describing in terms of computer architecture:

* Data types

A

A logical and abstract aspect of computer architecture

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11
Q

What is the following describing in terms of computer architecture:

* Various I/O mechanisms

A

A logical or abstract aspect of computer architecture

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12
Q

What is the following described in terms of computer architecture:

* The number and types of registers

A

A logical or abstract aspect of computer architecture

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13
Q

What is the following describing in terms of computer architecture:

* Addressing modes

A

A logical and abstract aspect of computer architecture

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14
Q

What is the following describing in terms of computer architecture:

* Main memory access methods

A

A logical and abstract aspect of computer architecture

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15
Q

What does ISA stand for

A

Instruction Set Architecture

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16
Q

What is ISA/ Instruction Set Architecture?

A

The agreed-upon interface between software and hardware

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17
Q

What does the following describe:
The agreed-upon interface between software and hardware

A

ISA / Instruction Set Architecture

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18
Q

What does ISA allow for?

A

It allows for communication between a user and a computer

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19
Q

What does the following describe:
It allows for communication between a user and a computer

A

The responsibility of the ISA / Instruction Set Architecture

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20
Q

True or False:
There is a fundamental relationship between the hardware and software within a computer system

A

True

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21
Q

True or False:
Modern computers can be seen as a physical representation of implemented algorithms

A

True
A computer can be seen as an implemented algorithm that executes other algorithms until it executes the algorithm of a piece of software

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22
Q

What is the Principle of Equivalence of Hardware and Software

A

Any task that is done on hardware can be done on software, and vice versa

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23
Q

What does the following describe:
Any task that is done on hardware can be done on software, and vice versa

A

The Principle of Equivalence of Hardware and Software

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24
Q

What are the three pieces that make a computer?

A

* A processor/ CPU to interpret/ execute programs
* A memory to store both data and programs
* A mechanism for transferring data to and from the outside world

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25
Q

What does the following describe:
A processor/ CPU to interpret/ execute programs

A

A component of a computer

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26
Q

What does the following describe:
A memory to store both data and programs

A

A component of a computer

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27
Q

What does the following describe:
A mechanism for transferring data to and from the outside world

A

A component of a computer

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28
Q

What does a processor consist of?

A

* ALU - Arithmetic Logic Unit
* Control Unit
* Registers

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29
Q

What are the following a part of:

* ALU - Arithmetic Logic Unit
* Control Unit
* Registers

A

The processor

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30
Q

What is the following a part of:

* ALU - Arithmetic Logic Unit

A

The processor

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31
Q

What is the following a part of:

* Control Unit

A

The processor

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32
Q

What is the following a component of:

* Registers

A

A component of the processor

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33
Q

What does ALU stand for?

A

Arithmetic Logic Unit

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34
Q

What does the ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit) do?

A

Perform computations and making decisions

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35
Q

What does the following describe:
Perform computations and making decisions

A

The ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)

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36
Q

What does the control unit do?

A

Directs data to the correct location

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37
Q

What component does the following describe:
Directs data to the correct location

A

The control unit

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38
Q

What do the registers do?

A

Holds data the CPU needs to access quickly

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39
Q

What component does the following describe:
Holds data the CPU needs to access quickly

A

Registers

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40
Q

What does memory do?

A

Stores resources (ex: current programs) that the CPU needs

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41
Q 
What does the following describe: 
Stores resources (ex: current programs) that the CPU needs
A

Memory

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42
Q

What are the two types of memory?

A

*Long term memory/storage

*Short term/ temporary memory/ storage

43
Q

What is long-term storage/memory?

A

Data that persists even when the machine is powered off

44
Q

What does the following describe:
Data that persists even when the machine is powered off

A

Long term memory/ storage

45
Q

What is temporary memory/ storage

A

* Data that is currently being worked on
* Data that will get lost when the machine powers off

46
Q

What does the following describe:

* Data that is currently being worked on

* Data that will get lost when the machine powers off

A

* Short term memory
* Short term storage
* Temporary memory
* Temporary storage

47
Q

What are examples of short-term storage?

A

* Registers
* RAM (Random Access Memory)

48
Q

What do the following components describe:

* Registers

* RAM (Random Access Memory)

A

* Short term memory
* Short term storage
* Temporary memory
* Temporary storage

49
Q

What is a bus?

A

A data line connecting the ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit), Registers, and Memory

50
Q

What does the following describe:

A data line connecting the ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit), Registers, and Memory

51
Q

What is a datapath

A

A collection of busses

52
Q

What does the following describe:
A collection of busses

53
Q

What does I/O stand for?

A

Input/Output

54
Q

What does I/O do?

A

Allows for a user to communicate with a computer system

55
Q

What are the following an example of:

* Keyboard

* Mouse

* USB drive

* Monitor

A

I/O (Input/Output)

56
Q

What is a datapath responsible for?

A

Running programs by transferring the data across busses

57
Q

What is the most important software in a computer

A

The operating system

58
Q

True or False and explain why:

Only brand-specific equipment can work with a given machine(ex: a Dell monitor cannot work with an HP computer)

A

False

Computer equipment manufacturers have agreed to comply with connectivity and operational specifications established by a number of government and industry organizations

59
Q

What is a semantic gap?

A

The logical gap that exists between the physical components of a computer and a high-level language

60
Q

What does the following definition describe:

The logical gap that exists between the physical components of a computer and a high-level language

A

The semantic gap

61
Q

What is a virtual machine?

A
  1. A hypothetical computer.
  2. A self-contained operating environment that gives the illusion of the existence of a separate physical machine.
  3. A software emulation of a real machine.
62
Q

What do the following definitions describe:

  1. A hypothetical computer.
  2. A self-contained operating environment that gives the illusion of the existence of a separate physical machine.
  3. A software emulation of a real machine.
A

A virtual machine

63
Q

How do virtual machines operate?

A

They executes their own particular set of instructions, calling upon machines at lower levels to carry out the tasks when necessary

64
Q

What is the commonly accepted representation of the abstract virtual machine layers

65
Q

What are the 6 levels of abstraction for a computer system (in order)?

A
  • Level 6: The User Layer
  • Level 5: The High-Level Language Level
  • Level 4: The Assembly Language Level
  • Level 3: The System Software Level
  • Level 2: The Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
  • Level 1: The Control Level
66
Q

What is Level 6 of the abstract virtual machine layer

A

The User Layer

67
Q

What are the properties of Level 6: The User Layer?

A
  • Composed of user usable applications
  • Run programs such as word processors, games, ect.
68
Q

What is Level 5 of the abstract virtual machine levels?

A

The High-Level Language Level

69
Q

What are the properties of Level 5, the High-Level Language Level

A
  • Consists of languages such as C, C++, Fortran, Lisp, Pascal, and Prolog
  • Compiles high-level languages into assembly language and that into machine code
70
Q

What is Level 4 of the abstract virtual machine layer?

A

The Assembly Language Level

71
Q

What are the properties of Level 4, the Assembly Language Level?

A
  • Encompasses some type of assembly language
  • Translates assembly language into machine language
    • One to one translation
  • Reduces the semantic gap between high-level languages and machine language
72
Q

What is Level 3 of the abstract virtual machine levels?

A

The System Software Level

73
Q

What are the properties of Level 3, the System Software Level?

A
  • Deals with Operating System instructions
  • Passes the translation of assembly language to machine language to the level below
74
Q

What is the responsibility of Level 3, the System Software Level

A
  • Multiprogramming
  • Protecting memory
  • Synchronizing processes
75
Q

What is Level 2 of the abstract virtual machine level?

A
  • The Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
  • Machine Level
76
Q

What are the properties of Level 2, the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)?

A
  • Consists of the machine language recognized by the particular architecture of the computer system
  • Programs written in a computer’s true machine language on a hardwired computer can be executed directly by the electronic circuits without any interpreters, translators, or compilers
77
Q

What is Level 1 of the abstract virtual machine levels?

A

The Control Level

78
Q

What are the properties of Level 1, the Control Level

A
  • The control unit makes sure that instructions are decoded and executed properly
  • Data is moved where and when it should be
79
Q

What are the two ways a control unit can be designed?

A
  • Hardwired
  • Microprogrammed
80
Q

What are the properties of a hardwired control unit?

A
  • Control signals emanate from blocks of digital logic components that direct all the data and instruction traffic to appropriate parts of the system
  • Typically very fast because they are actually physical components
  • Very difficult to modify due to being physical
81
Q

True or False:

Control units are slow because they are physical components

A

False

Control units are typically very fast because they are actually physical components

82
Q

True or False:

Once implemented, control units are very difficult to modify

A

True

Control units are very difficult to modify because they are physical

83
Q

What is a microprogram?

A

A program is written in a low-level language that is implemented directly by hardware

84
Q

True or False:

A microprogram is program is written in a high-level language that is implemented directly by hardware

A

False

A microprogram is program is written in a program is written in a low-level language that is implemented directly by hardware

85
Q

How do microprograms operate?

A

Interprets the instructions by activating hardware suited to execute the original instruction

86
Q

Is there a one-to-one correlation between assembly language and machine language when involving a microprogram?

A

No, a microprogram can translate a machine-level instruction into several microcode instructions

87
Q

What are the benefits and tradeoffs of a microprogram?

A
  • Easily modifiable
  • Slower instruction execution due to the additional layer of translation
88
Q

What is Level 0 of the abstract virtual machine levels?

A

The Digital Logic Level

89
Q

What are the properties of Level 0, the Digital Logic Level

A
  • Consists of the physical components of the computer system: gates and wires
90
Q

What are the properties of gates and wires?

A
  • Fundamental building blocks of a computer system
  • Implementation of mathematical logic
91
Q

What is the vonNeumann Architecture

A

A stored-program machine architecture consisting of a CPU, an ALU, registers, and main memory.

92
Q

What does the following definition describe:

A stored-program machine architecture consisting of a CPU, an ALU, registers, and main memory.

A

The von Neumann Architecture

93
Q

True or False

Hungarian mathematician John von Neumann is the true inventor of the von Neumann Architecture

A

False

John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckerts are the true inventors of the von Neumann Architecture

94
Q

What are the characteristics of today’s version of the stored-program machine architecture?

A
  • Consisting of three hardware systems
    • A CPU with a control unit, ALU, registers, and a program counter
    • Main Memory System
    • I/O System
  • The capacity to carry out sequential instruction processing
  • Consists of either a physical or logical single path between the main memory to the CPU’s control unit (von Neumann bottleneck)
95
Q

What best describes the following characteristics:

  • Consisting of a CPU, a Main Memory System, and an I/O System
  • The capacity to carry out sequential instruction processing
  • Containing either a single physical or logical path between the main memory and the CPU’s control unit (von Neumann bottleneck)
A

The characteristics of the modern stored-program machine architecture

96
Q

What is the von Neumann Bottleneck

A

The name given to the single path between main memory and the control unit of the CPU. The single path forces alternation of instruction and execution cycles and often results in a bottleneck, or slowing of the system.

97
Q

What does the following definition describe:

The name given to the single path between main memory and the control unit of the CPU. The single path forces alternation of instruction and execution cycles and often results in a bottleneck, or slowing of the system.

A

A von Neumann Bottleneck

98
Q

What is the Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle/ von Neumann Execution Cycle

A

The instruction cycle a computer follows to execute a program

99
Q

What does the following definition describe:

The instruction cycle a computer follows to execute a program

A

The Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle/ von Neumann Execute Cycle

100
Q

What is another name for the Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle?

A

The von Neumann Execute Cycle

101
Q

What is another name for the von Neumann Execute Cycle?

A

The Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle

102
Q

What does the following image describe:

A

The von Neumann/ Fetch-Decode Execute Cycle

103
Q

What are the steps associated with the following implementation of the von Neumann/ Fetch-Decode Execute Cycle:

A
  1. The control unit fetches the next program instruction from the memory, using the program counter to determine where the instruction is located.
  2. The instruction is decoded into a language the ALU can understand.
  3. Any data operands required to execute the instruction are fetched from memory and placed in registers in the CPU.
  4. The ALU executes the instruction and places the results in registers or memory.
104
Q

What is the benefit of the von Neumann/ Fetch-Decode Execute Cycle?

A

It allows for data from slow to access storage to be copied to fast access storage prior to execution

CMIS 310 Computer Systems and Architecture (2 decks)

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