Computer Internals

Question 1

System Clock

Answer 1

It generates a continuous sepquence of clock pulses to keep the CPU through its operations.

Question 2

Clock Speed

Answer 2

It generates regular time pulses that is used to synchronize the various steps during the fetch-execute cycle.

A processor speeds is determined by clock speed, word size, bus size and architecture.

Question 3

Registers

Answer 3

This are small fast memory units within a CPU, holding the data that needs to be accessed quickly such as instructions, addresses and immediate resulst of calculations.

Question 4

Types of Registers

Answer 4

1. Data Registers: holds data that the CPU is currently working on.
2. Address Registers: Hold memory addressess. It points to which point in data in main memory.
3. Instruction Registers: it holds current instructions being executed by the CPU.
4. Statics Register: tracks CPUS state and control information, such as flags indicating the outcome of operations.
5. General Purpose Registers:
   They are used to perform arithmetic operations in some computers only 1 exist the accumulator.

[check fig 1.3]

Question 5

Motherboard

Answer 5

Allows devices to receive power and communicate with one another.

Question 6

Form Factor

Answer 6

this is the shape and layout of a mother board. it affects where components go and shapes the computer case.

Question 7

The socket

Answer 7

For the microprocessor determines what kind of control processing.

Question 8

The Chipset

Answer 8

it is part of the motherboard logic system and usually made up of tow parts northbridge and the southbridge. These two bridges connect the CPU to other parts of the computer.

Question 9

Basic I/O System (BIOS)

Answer 9

It controls the most basic function of the computer and perform a self test when even the computer boots up.

Question 10

Real time clock chip

Answer 10

This chip maintains the settings and system time and it is battery operated.

Question 11

Northbridge

Answer 11

Its a crucial part of the computer motherboard. it acts as a communication hub, connecting the CPU to high-speed devices like the RAM and the graphics card.

Question 12

Southbridge

Answer 12

it works with the northbridge to marriage communications between CPU and other parts of the computer.
The southbridge takes charge of slower peripherals and I/O functions.

Question 13

Peripheral Component interconnect (PCI)

Answer 13

This is a standard for connecting devices to the computer motherboard. It allows for attachments of hardware devices such as graphic cards, sound cards, network cards and etc.

Question 14

Buses

Answer 14

This are sets of parrallel wires connecting tow or more component of a computer together.
the computer is made up of 3 buses, address bus, data bus and control bus.

[check fig 1.4]

Question 15

Control Bus

Answer 15

This is a bi-directional bus. it ensures that addresses and data shared by components in the computer doesn’t result to any conflict. Its main role is to transmit commands timing and specific status information between system components such as memory, processor, keyboard,input controller, VDU ( video display units)

Question 16

Data bus

Answer 16

Is is bidirectional providing movement of data and instructions between system components. A typical data bus consist of 8, 16 or separate lines. its width determines the speed.

Question 17

Address bus

Answer 17

It is used to coomunicate memory location that the requesting unit wants to access (read/write). the width determines what amount of data can be accessed.

Question 18

Word size

Answer 18

This is number of bits. a computer can process. A typical processor can process 8, 16, 32, 64 or even larger. This determines the speed of the computer.