Fundamentals of Computer Organisation & Architecture Flashcards
What is the role of the Processor
To execute program instructions in order
to run applications
Name two types of main memory
- Random access memory (RAM)
- Read only memory (ROM)
Which is usually faster: main memory or secondary
storage?
Main memory
Name two types of information that may be held in
main memory
- Program instructions
- Frequently used data
What is meant by a bus?
A series of parallel wires that connects
internal components of a computer
Which bus is used to transport memory addresses?
Address bus
Which bus is used to send information to and from
different components?
Data bus
An address bus is formed from 8 parallel wires. How
many addressable memory locations does the
address bus allow?
256
2^8 = 256
What effect does increasing the width of the data
bus have?
Increases the volume of data that can be
transferred at any one time.
What is the role of the control bus?
Carries control signals, including the
system clock, that regulate the operation
of the computer system
What name is given to hardware that controls the
communication of data between the processor and
external hardware devices
I/O Controllers
Which type of architecture is shown in
the diagram: Harvard or von Neumann?
Main Memory(Instructions) — Processor — Main Memory(Data)
Harvard
Which type of architecture is extensively used in
embedded systems: Harvard or von Neumann?
Harvard
In which type of architecture are instructions and
data stored in the same memory: Harvard or von
Neumann?
Von Neumann
Which type of architecture is used in
general-purpose computer systems: Harvard or von
Neumann?
Von Neumann
What is meant by the stored program concept?
Machine code instructions stored in main
memory are fetched and executed
serially by a processor that performs
arithmetic and logical operations
What is the advantage of using the stored program
concept?
Allows one computer to run several
different programs
When using the stored program concept, what two
things could the contents of a memory location be
interpreted as?
- Instructions
- Data
Name the two architectures on which stored program
computers can be based
- Harvard architecture
- von Neumann architecture
Which type of register is the status register: general
purpose or special purpose?
Special purpose
Which of the following is not found within
a processor?
A: Control unit
B: Main memory
C: Buses
B
What effect does increasing the width of
the address bus have?
Increases the computer’s amount of
addressable memory
Which register holds the instruction that is currently
being executed by the processor?
CIR
Current Instruction Register
What is Cache
A small portion of fast memory used to
store frequently used information in the
processor.
What name is given to small storage locations used
to hold data temporarily in the processor?
Registers
What is meant by STR R3, 38?
Store the value that is in register 3 into
memory location 38.
Which register holds the contents of a memory
location that has been read from or data that is to be
stored?
Memory Buffer Register
Which part of a computer’s processor generates
signals at a regular frequency?
Clock
Name the three stages of the fetch-execute cycle
Fetch, decode, execute
What name is given to the data to be used in an
instruction: opcode or operand?
Operand
Form an assembly language instruction that would
mean: “Add the value in register 4 to the value in
register 5 and store the result in register 3”
ADD R3, R4, R5
In which stage of the fetch-execute cycle is the
program counter incremented?
Fetch
Between which two stages of the fetch-execute cycle
is the status register checked?
Execute and fetch
What name is given to the group of instructions that
a processor can carry out?
Instruction set
In which addressing mode does the value specified
by an operand signify a memory address?
Direct addressing
In which stage of the fetch-execute cycle is an
instruction broken into opcode and operands?
Decode
What name is given to a signal sent to the processor
by another part of the computer requesting the
attention of the processor?
Interrupt
