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GCSE Computer Science > Chapter 4: Computers > Flashcards

Chapter 4: Computers Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a von Neumann architecture computer?

A

A computer in which the processing instructions are stored in memory with the data

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2
Q

How are processor instructions written?

A

In binary numbers (just like data)

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3
Q

What is a bus?

A

A group of wires that connect the CPU, RAM and I/O devices

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4
Q

What is the fetch-decode-execute cycle?

A

The process by which the CPU executes instructions. The CPU fetches an instruction from memory, executes it and fetches the next one until the PC shuts down

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5
Q

What is stored in RAM?

A

Programs currently being executed and their data

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6
Q

What is stored in ROM?

A

BIOS/UEFI and firmware

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7
Q

What is cache memory?

A

A small amount of fast, expensive memory used in-between two devices that communicate at different speeds

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8
Q

How is cache memory used to maximise performance?

A

Frequently used code or data is sent from RAM to the cache

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9
Q

What is the arithmetic logic unit (ALU)?

A

The part of the CPU that performs calculations and logical operations

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10
Q

What is a register?

A

An extremely fast storage location in the CPU used to store an instruction, address or other small piece of data

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11
Q

What is the control unit?

A

The part of the CPU that organises the actions of the other parts of the CPU

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12
Q

What is the clock?

A

The part of the CPU that “ticks” at regular intervals and synchronises the actions of the other parts of the CPU

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13
Q

What are the 3 parts of the CPU bus?

A

Address bus: Carries memory addresses between the CPU and memory to uniquely identify a memory location
Data bus: Carries the data to be read from or written to memory
Control bus: Carries the signals that identify whether data should be written or read, and when

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14
Q

What is bus width?

A

The number of wires that make up a bus. This determines the length of the binary numbers that can be transmitted

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15
Q

What happens in the “fetch” stage of the fetch-decode-execute cycle?

A

The control unit places the memory address of the next instruction on the address bus. It also sends a signal on the control bus requesting to read from memory. The memory receives the signal and looks up that memory location. The data in memory is sent via the data bus to a special register

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16
Q

What happens in the “decode” stage of the fetch-decode-execute cycle?

A

The control unit analyses the contents of the special register and sends signals to other parts of the CPU telling them what to do (e.g. add numbers, store a value in memory). The instruction is then completed (the “execute” stage of the cycle)

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17
Q

What is scheduling?

A

An algorithm the CPU uses to allow each program to use the CPU for a short period of time before switching to the next program

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18
Q

What is paging?

A

An algorithm the CPU uses to move programs from RAM to disk when RAM is full

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19
Q

What is utility software?

A

Software that does a useful job for the user but is not the reason for using the computer in the first place (e.g. file management, security)

20
Q

What is a defragmenter?

A

A utility that changes the physical location of files on a spinning HDD disk so that they are closer together, meaning they can be accessed faster

21
Q

What are computer models?

A

Simulations of real-life processes or phenomena where conditions are set and the results of what would happen if the situation occured in real-life are predicted

22
Q

What is a heuristic?

A

A type of algorithm capable of finding a solution to a problem quickly and easily by using a combination of trial-and-error and educated guesswork to cut corners

23
Q

What are Monte Carlo methods?

A

Carrying out a statistical analysis of random samples in order to obtain approximate solutions to a problem

24
Q

What are neural networks?

A

Processing information in a similar way to the human brain and learning and adapting based on previous data

25
Q

What is an instruction set?

A

A list of commands a CPU knows how to carry out

26
Q

What is a translator?

A

A program that converts source code in a high-level programming language into low-level machine code. Compilers and interpreters are examples of translators

27
Q

What is machine code?

A

The binary codes representing a program and its instructions

28
Q

What is assembly language?

A

A low-level programming language written using 3-letter mnemonics such as LDR, CMP and STR

29
Q

What is a low-level programming language?

A

A programming language closely related to the CPU’s machine code

30
Q

Why is assembly language rarely used?

A

Limited range of instructions (every task has to be built up from the smallest steps)
Data has to be managed
Bugs crash the entire machine

31
Q

Why are translators used?

A

They convert source code into a specific instruction set

32
Q

What are the advantages/disadvantages of low-level programming languages?

A 
Advantages:
More functionality
Faster programs
Disadvantages:
You have to manage memory
Complex tasks have to be built up from a lot of small steps
33
Q

What is a compiler?

A

A translator that converts high-level language source code into a machine code file (e.g. “.exe”) all at once which can be saved and executed later

34
Q

What is an interpreter?

A

A translator that converts each line of high-level language source code into machine code and executes it on the spot before moving on to the next line

35
Q

What are the features of a compiler?

A

Programs created can run on any computer with the same instruction set and operating system
Machine code files are hard to understand, making the program difficult to alter
Cannot produce any machine code unless all the source code is correct

36
Q

What are the features of an interpreter?

A

Every computer that runs the program needs to have the interpreter software installed
Interpreters find errors when they reach them and can often tell the user what has gone wrong
Interpreters run programs more slowly because they have to translate each line before they can run it

37
Q

How does magnetic secondary storage work?

A
  1. HDD arm moves to be above the right track (seek time)
  2. Required sector comes around under the head (latency)
  3. Magnetised surface induces current in the head which is read by the disk controller and translated into binary
38
Q

How does optical secondary storage work?

A

The optical drive shines a laser at the disc, which is reflected back onto a light sensor. Certain parts of the disc (pits) are less reflective than others (lands) and reflect light in a slightly different way. The sensor detects this and translates this into binary data.

39
Q

How does electrical secondary storage work?

A

Reading:

  1. Control signals identify which bit is to be read out and apply a small voltage
  2. If the electron pool is empty, the transistor turns on and a 1 is read out
  3. If the electron pool is full, the transistor doesn’t turn on and a 0 is read out

Writing:

  1. Control signals identify which bit is to be written and apply a higher voltage
  2. This pulls electrons into the pools of those transistors, recording 1s and 0s
40
Q

Why is lossy compression sometimes used?

A

Can decrease file size dramatically, humans can’t tell the difference (e.g. in audio files, there are a lot of frequencies that humans cannot hear)

41
Q

What is bit depth?

A

The number of bits used to encode the information from each sample

42
Q

What is sample rate?

A

The number of sound wave samples stored per second (Hz)

43
Q

How does two’s compliment work?

A

The most significant bit corresponds to the negative of what it would usually represent

44
Q

Advantages of solid state drives

A

Fast read/write speeds, lower power consumption, compact size, more durable

45
Q
A

GCSE Computer Science (6 decks)

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