Computer Architecture Overview

Question 1

What is Computer Architecture?

Answer 1

The placement and connection of different components of a system.

Question 2

What are the components made of?

Answer 2

They’re made of digital circuits based on logic gates.

Bolean algebra is used when creating circuits. The overall design of the circuits are simplified to use less gates as possible.

Question 3

What is the Von Neumann Architecture and who designed it?

Answer 3

The process of storing instructions in a memory with a control unit by using the Fetch-decode-Execute cycle, made by John Von Neumann

Question 4

What are the three types of Buses?

Answer 4

Address, Data and Control

Question 5

What is an Address bus?

Answer 5

A Bus that moves memory locations or “addresses” of data.

Question 6

What is a Data bus?

Answer 6

A bus that moves the content of the memory address.

Question 7

What is a Control bus?

Answer 7

Determines the direction of data flow and when the components can access the bus.

Question 8

What is a Clock used for?

Answer 8

It synchronizes the activities of components.

Question 9

What does a Clock need to do?

Answer 9

Clock cycles are needed to process data movement in order to complete computational processes.

Question 10

What are clock frequencies measured in?

Answer 10

Megahertz or Gigahertz

Question 11

What are the Main architecture components?

Answer 11

Memory
CPU
Input/Output devices

Question 12

What is a Memory?

Answer 12

A Unit that stores and retrieves instructions and data.

Question 13

What is a CPU?

Answer 13

An electronic circuitry that processes instructions from a computer system.

Question 14

What are the separate components of a CPU and what do they do?

Answer 14

Control Unit - performs fetch-decode-execute cycle.

Arithmetic/Logic Unit - performs mathematical and logical operations.

Question 15

What is the purpose of Input/Output devices?

Answer 15

Handles communication externally.

Question 16

What does a Memory contain?

Answer 16

A memory contains a collection of cells with a unique physical address.

Question 17

What does RAM do?

Answer 17

Inherents the idea of being accessible to each location is the ability to change the content of each location.

Question 18

What does ROM do?

Answer 18

Content of each location cannot be changed.

Question 19

What is MAR?

Answer 19

Memory Address Register.

A register that holds the memory location of data that needs to be accessed.

Question 20

What is MDR and what does it contain?

Answer 20

Memory Data Register.

Stores the data being transferred to and from immediate access storage. It contains a copy of the memory location specified by the MAR.

Question 21

What is ALU?

Answer 21

Arithmetic/Logic Unit.

Performs basic mathematics and logical operations by using AND, OR and NOT.

Question 22

What is a Register and what does it store?

Answer 22

One of a small set of data storing locations within a computer processor. It can store an instruction or address.

Question 23

What is a Control Unit and what does it state?

Answer 23

A component that directs the operation of a computer’s CPU.

It states how the memory, arithmetic/logic unit and I/O devices how to respond to instructions sent from the processor.

Question 24

What are the 2 registers of a Control Unit and what do they contain?

Answer 24

Instruction Register - contains instruction being executed.

Program Counter - contains the address of the next instruction to be executed.

Question 25

When triggers an Interrupt?

Answer 25

• I/O requests
• Arithmetic errors
• Invalid instructions

Question 26

What is a typical type of clock used?

Answer 26

Crystal Quartz Oscillator