CPU_Memory_Flashcards
What are the main components of the CPU?
The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) and the Control Unit (CU).
What is the function of the ALU?
Performs calculations and comparisons.
What role does the Control Unit (CU) play in the CPU?
Runs program instructions, performs fetch/execute cycle, and manages data transfer to/from registers and other components.
What is the purpose of CPU registers?
Small storage locations within the CPU for storing data, addresses, or instructions temporarily.
What are general-purpose registers used for?
Holds intermediate results or data values, such as loop counters.
What is the Program Counter (PC) register?
A special-purpose register that stores the address of the next instruction to execute.
What is stored in the Instruction Register (IR)?
The instruction currently being executed by the CPU.
What is the Memory Address Register (MAR)?
Holds the address in memory where data will be read or written.
What is the function of the Memory Data Register (MDR)?
Temporarily holds data that is being transferred to or from memory.
How does the fetch-execute cycle work?
The CPU fetches an instruction, decodes it, and then executes the operation.
What happens during the ‘fetch’ stage of the cycle?
The instruction is loaded from memory into the IR and prepared for execution.
What occurs in the ‘execute’ stage?
The CPU performs the operation specified by the instruction.
What is Random Access Memory (RAM)?
Volatile memory used for temporarily storing data and program instructions for CPU access.
What are DRAM and SRAM?
Types of RAM; DRAM is cheaper and slower, SRAM is faster and used for cache memory.
What is nonvolatile memory?
Memory that retains data when power is turned off, e.g., ROM and flash memory.
What is the function of Read-Only Memory (ROM)?
Stores firmware or BIOS software that doesn’t change over the system’s life.
What is flash memory?
A nonvolatile memory used for secondary storage in portable devices.
How is memory addressing limited?
By the number of bits in the MAR; for example, 8 bits allow for 256 unique addresses.
What is the primary role of the MAR?
To specify the memory location for data access or storage.
What does the MDR do in a store operation?
Holds data that will be written to the memory address specified by MAR.
What is the purpose of the accumulator in the CPU?
To store intermediate arithmetic and logic operation results.
What are ‘bit manipulation instructions’?
Operations that alter specific bits within a register, often used for flag conditions.
What is a stack?
A memory structure that operates on a Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) principle.
What is a ‘stack instruction’?
An instruction used to add or remove data from the stack.
What is the function of the Program Counter?
Stores the address of the next instruction for the CPU to execute.
What are SIMD instructions?
Single Instruction, Multiple Data - perform the same operation on multiple data points.
What is instruction pipelining?
A technique that allows overlapping execution of multiple instructions to improve performance.
What are Boolean Logic instructions?
Operations like AND, OR, XOR, and NOT used in logic operations.
What are shift and rotate instructions?
Operations that move bits in a register left or right to adjust data alignment or storage.
Describe a direct addressing mode.
The instruction specifies the actual memory address where data is stored.
What is an operand?
The data on which an operation is performed; could be in memory or a register.
What is the purpose of instruction formats?
Defines how instructions are laid out, including opcode length and operand specification.
What differentiates CPU architectures?
Instruction set design, data types, word size, register use, and addressing modes.
