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Computer Systems Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a translator?

A

It translates from one language to another.

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2
Q

What are the three types of translators?

A

Compiler, Interpreter, Assembler

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3
Q

What is the purpose of the CPU?

A

Processes instructions that drive the computer.

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4
Q

What is Von Neumann architecture?

A

The program and data are both stored in the same memory. This allows instructions to be fetched and executed sequentially.

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5
Q

What are the main components of the CPU?

A

ALU (arithmetic logic unit)
Clock
Control Unit
Bus
Registers

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6
Q

What is the purpose of the ALU?

A

Performs arithmetic and logic operations, and shifts bits in a computer word.

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7
Q

What is the purpose of the clock?

A

The clock controls the timings of the processor, and switches between 0 and 1 several million times a second.
This is measured in hertz Hz.

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8
Q

What are registers?

A

Registers are very high speed memory locations in the CPU. An 8-bit CPU will have registers that are each 8-bit.

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9
Q

What is hardware?

A

The physical components that make up a computer.

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10
Q

What is software?

A

The non-physical programs that are stored by and run on a computer.

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11
Q

What is system software?

A

Software that provides a platform for other software to run.

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12
Q

What is machine code?

A

Code written in binary to execute an instruction.

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13
Q

What is assembly code?

A

Assembly code allows a programmer to write programs more easily.

LDA 51
ADD #FF

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14
Q

Can a machine or assembly code written on a Mac be run on a Windows computer?

A

No - the low level languages are processor specific.

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15
Q

What is assembly language used for?

A

Embedded systems
Controls precisely any instruction on the processor
Controls specific hardware components.

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16
Q

What type of language are assembly and machine code?

A

Low-level language.

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17
Q

What are the advantages of high-level languages?

A

Easier to debug and read
Easier to learn as they look a lot more like English
Can be run on different types of processors
Programs are written faster.

18
Q

What are the advantages of low-level languages?

A

More control over hardware
Run much quicker
Require less RAM

19
Q

What is an assembler?

A

Translates assembly code into machine code.

20
Q

What is a compiler?

A

Translates a whole high-level language program into machine code at once and produces an object code.

21
Q

What languages are high-level languages?

A

Python, Java, C#, Visual Basic, C++, Javascript

22
Q

What is an interpreter?

A

Interpreter translates each line of a high-level program separately and stops if there is an error to display an error message.

23
Q

What languages use compilers?

A

C, C++

24
Q

What is the purpose of the Control Unit?

A

Co-ordinates and controls the instructions taking place in the CPU.

Decodes and executes instructions.
Receives instructions from clock.

25
Q

Define the term ‘bus’.

A

A set of parallel wires that carry instructions and data from one component in the CPU to another.

26
Q

What is the purpose of the address bus?

A

Sends the memory location, or address, of the memory location that the CPU wants to access.

27
Q

What is the purpose of the data bus?

A

Sends the data that is being worked on in a specific address to the CPU.

28
Q

What is the purpose of the control bus?

A

Sends the control signals.

29
Q

What is the cycle called that the CPU is constantly working on?

A

Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle.

30
Q

What is cache?

A

A small amount of very fast, expensive memory that is stored near the CPU. It is slightly slower than registers but faster than main memory (RAM).

31
Q

What is stored in cache?

A

Data or instructions that are used frequently are temporarily stored in cache in case they are used again.

32
Q

Define the term ‘volatile’.

A

If a data store is volatile, it means that if the computer’s power is switched off then all of the data in that data store is lost.

33
Q

What type of data stores are volatile and non-volatile?

A

RAM is volatile
ROM is non-volatile
Secondary storage is non-volatile.

34
Q

What does RAM stand for?

A

Random Access Memory

35
Q

What does ROM stand for?

A

Read only memory

36
Q

What does memory speed refer to?

A

The speed that the memory location can be accessed.

37
Q

What is stored in RAM?

A

The operating system
The software in use
The data the software is using

38
Q

Why is RAM named as it is?

A

The ability of the CPU to access any part of the memory in the same amount of time.

39
Q

What is stored in ROM?

A

Instructions and data that are necessary for the computer to run are stored in ROM, as it is Read-Only, so the instructions can not be changed, and it is non-volatile so they are stored permanently.

BIOS
Bootstrap

40
Q

How do the number of cores in a CPU affect the performance of a computer?

A

The more cores there are, generally more instructions can be processed per second.

Example:

4 x 2.4 GHz cores is better than 2 x 2.4 GHz because twice as many instructions can THEORETICALLY be processed per second.

41
Q

What is BIOS and what does it stand for?

A

BIOS is Basic Input/Output System and runs whenever the computer is run and it checks if all the hardware is running properly.

42
Q

What is a bootstrap loader?

A

A bootstrap loader is software that is stored in the ROM, that loads the operating system.

Computer Science (5 decks)

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