Internal Computer Hardware

Question 1

Parts of the cpu

Answer 1

Processor
Main memory
Address, control and data buses
Input/output (i/o) controllers

Question 2

I/o controllers

Answer 2

External devices such as printers, scanners, microphones etc.
they cannot be directly connected to the processor
An i/o Controller for each peripheral device acts as an interface between the device and the computer

Question 3

Device drivers

Answer 3

The software that interacts directly with the i/o controller is called a device driver
When you install a new device you must also install the device driver for it

Question 4

Tasks of an i/o controller

Answer 4

Converts signals received from a peripheral device into a format the computer can process and vice versa
Manages the data to and from the device

Question 5

Control bus

Answer 5

Used to send control signals between each i/o controller and the processor, as well as between the processor and memory

Question 6

Data bus

Answer 6

Sends data between cpu components

Question 7

Address bus

Answer 7

Sends memory addresses from the processor to cpu components

Question 8

Control signals

Answer 8

Memory read : causes data from the addressed location to be placed on the data bus
Memory Write : causes data on the data bus to be written into the addressed location
Bus request : indicates that a device is requesting use of the data bus
Bus grant : indicates that the cpu has granted access to the data bus
Clock: used to synchronise operations