Hardware Flashcards
What is the role of the CPU?
It process instructions and data that are input into the computer so that the result can be output.
What is a microprocessor?
A microprocessor is a type of integrated circuit on a single chip that is able to perform many of the functions of a CPU.
What is the purpose of the ALU?
The Arithmetic and Logic Unit performs all the mathematical and logical operations required when processing data and instructions.
What is the purpose of the CU?
The Control Unit controls all the operations in the CPU.
What is the purpose of the PC?
The Program Counter stores the address of the next instruction to be processed.
What is the purpose of the MAR?
The Memory Address Register holds the address of the data to be located in RAM.
What is the purpose of the MDR?
The Memory Data Register holds the data that is fetched from the RAM.
What is the purpose of the CIR?
The Current Instruction Register (is built into the CU and) holds the instruction that is being processed in the CPU.
What is the purpose of the ACC?
The Accumulator is a register built into the ALU that stores the result of any interim calculations.
What is the purpose and direction of the address bus?
They are wires used for the transmission of adresses between components in a computer.
It is unidirectional.
What is the purpose and direction of the data bus?
They are wires used to transmit data between components in a computer.
It is bi-directional.
What is the purpose of a control bus and its direction?
Wires used for the transmission of control signals between components in a computer.
What is a core?
The part of the CPU that contains all the components that are used to perform the fetch-decode-execute cycle.
What is a cache?
It is a storage that is built into the CPU, to store the most frequently used data and instructions.
What is clock (speed)?
The number of fetch-decode-execute cycles that can be performed in a second.
What can effect the performance of a CPU?
- The number of cores
- size of the cache
- the speed of the clock
What is the purpose and use of an instruction set for a CPU?
It is a list of commands that can be processes by a CPU and the commands are machine code.
What is the purpose of an embedded system?
It is used to perform a specific/dedicated function.
Devices that use embedded systems?
Domestic appliances, traffic lights, alarm clocks, security systems, lighting systems etc.
What is an input device?
A device that allows data to be entered into a compter system.
What is an output device?
A device that can be used to obtain the results of data that has been processed.
Examples of input devices.
Barcode scanner
Digital camera
Keyboard
Microphone
Optical mouse
QR code scanner
Touch screen (resistive, capacitive and infra-red)
2-D and 3-D scanners.
Examples of output devices.
Actuator
Digital light processing (DLP) projector
Inkjet and laser printers
LED screen
Liquid crystal display (LCD) projector and screen
Speaker
3D printer
What is a sensor and its purpose?
It is a type of input device that captures data from its immediate environment.
It is used in automated systems.
Examples of sensors
Acoustic
Accelerometer
Flow
Gas
Humidity
Infra-red
Level
Light
Magnetic fiels
Moisture
pH
Pressure
Proximity
Temperature
Which type of storage is directly accessed by the CPU?
Primary storage.
What storage is not directly accessed by the CPU but is necessary for more permanent storage of data?
Secondary storage.
What does ROM store?
The start up instructions for the computer.
What does RAM store?
The current instructions being processed.
Differences between RAM and ROM.
RAM is:
Volatile
Easy to manipulate
Stores currently in use data
Its contents are constantly being change
OPPOSITE FOR ROM.
