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GCSE Computer Science > Computer Systems > Flashcards

Computer Systems Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a Computer’s purpose?

A

To take data, process it and output it

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2
Q

What is Hardware?

A

Physical components such as:

CPU, motherboard, monitor, printer

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3
Q

What is Software?

A

Programs or applications that can be run on the Computer System, such as:

Operating System, Word Processors and Video Games

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4
Q

What are Peripherals?

A

External hardware connected to a computer, such as:

Keyboard, Mouse and Printers

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5
Q

What is an Embedded System?

A

A computer built into another larger system

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6
Q

What are the 3 components of the CPU?

A

The Control Unit (CU)
The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
The Cache

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7
Q

What is the Control Unit?

A

The overall control of the CPU,
Manages the fetch-decode-execute cycle (controls data flow),
Contains the Program Counter

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8
Q

What is the Arithmetic Logic Unit?

A

Where calculations are done, and decisions are made,

Contains the Accumulator register

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9
Q

What is the Cache?

A

Very fast memory, is slower than registers but faster than RAM,
Stores regularly used data,
Has a very low capacity and is expensive compared to RAM

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10
Q

What are registers?

A

small amount of fast temporary memory within the processor where the ALU or the CU can store and change values needed to execute instructions.

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11
Q

What are registers? With examples?

A

Small amounts of fast temporary memory,
Where ALU or CU can store and change values needed to execute instructions

Examples: accumulator, program counter, memory address register, memory data register

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12
Q

What is the Accumulator?

A

Stores results of calculations from the ALU

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13
Q

What is the Program Counter (PC)?

A

Holds the Memory Address of the instructions for each cycle

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14
Q

What is the Memory Address Register (MAR)?

A

Holds any Memory Address about to be used by the CPU

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15
Q

What is the Memory Data Register (MDR)?

A

Holds the actual data or instructions

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16
Q

What is the Memory Data Register (MDR)?

A

Holds the actual data or instructions

17
Q

Describe the FETCH-DECODE-EXECUTE cycle

A

Fetch - copy memory address from the PC to the MAR,
copy the instruction stored in the MAR address to the MDR

Decode - the instruction in the MDR is decoded by the CU

Execute - the instruction is performed

18
Q

What 3 things could affect on CPU Performance?

A

Clock Speed
Number of Cores
Cache Size

19
Q

What is Clock Speed?

A

Number of cycles a single processor core carries out per second (Hz),
The higher the Clock Speed, the greater the number of cycles carried out per second

20
Q

What is Cores?

A

Processes data independently to each other core,

The more cores a CPU has, the more instructions it can carry out at once, so the faster it can process data

21
Q

What is Cache Size?

A

Data storage inside the CPU,
Much faster than RAM,
A larger CPU Cache gives the CPU faster access to more data it needs to process

22
Q

What is Volatile Memory?

A

Temporary Memory,

Requires power to retain data

23
Q

What is Non-volatile Memory?

A

Permanent Memory,

Keeps its contents even when it has no power

24
Q

What is Virtual Memory?

A

A section of Volatile Memory created temporarily on the storage drive,
Only used when RAM is full,
Holds less frequently needed data

25
Q

What is Random Access Memory (RAM)?

A

Used to store: data currently in use, programs in use

Is Volatile, can be Read and Written to

26
Q

What is Read Only Memory (ROM)?

A

Used to store: start-up routines (BIOS, Basic Input Output System)
Is Non-Volatile, can only be Read

27
Q

What are the two main tiers of Storage?

A

Primary Storage - memory areas that CPU can access very quickly, mostly Volatile, fastest Read/Write speeds

Secondary Storage - where all data is stored when not in use, Non-Volatile, much slower Read/Write speeds

28
Q

Advantages of Hard Disks compared to Solid State Drives

A

Cheaper,
Higher Capacity,
Longer Read/Write life

29
Q

Advantages of Solid State Drives compared to Hard Disks

A

Faster,
Doesn’t need defragmentation,
More Shock-proof,
Is Silent

30
Q

What are the 3 types of Secondary Storage?

A

Magnetic,
Optical,
Solid State

31
Q

What is Defragmentation?

A

It reorganises data on the hard drive to put fragmented files back together,

32
Q

What is Compression?

A

Reduces the size of files by permanently or temporarily removing data from them,
Compressed files take up less disk space and are quicker to download

33
Q

What is Encryption?

A

It scrambles data to stop third-parties from accessing it,
Main benefit is that stolen data is still secure,
To decrypt data a special ‘key’ is needed

GCSE Computer Science (1 decks)

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