Internal Hardware Components of a Computer Flashcards
What are the internal subsystems of a computer?
- CPU
- RAM (main memory)
- I/O controllers
- Buses
What do parallel buses do?
Carry data words in parallel on multiple wires
What is the purpose of the control bus?
The purpose of the control bus is to transmit, command, timing and specific status information between system components.
What is the address space?
The range of memory address that the machine can address
How is main memory organised?
Main memory consists of a contiguous block of read/write, randomly accessible storage locations constructed from semiconductor technology.
What is meant by volatile memory?
The contents of the memory is lost when the power is removed.
What is an I/O controller?
An I/O controller is a board of electronics that enables the processor to control and communicate with a peripheral device through an I/O port.
What are the three parts that a controller consists of?
- An interface - connection of controller to system/IO bus
- A set of data, command, address and status registers
- An interface - connection of controller to cable connecting device to computer
In the von Neumann architecture, how are programs and data allocated?
Programs and data share the same memory
In the Harvard architecture, how are programs and data allocated?
Programs and data are allocated separate memories
Which components does a typical CPU consist of?
- Control Unit
- Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)
- Registers
- System clock
What is the purpose of the Control Unit?
The purpose of the Control Unit is to fetch instructions from memory, decode and execute them one at a time.
What is the purpose of the ALU?
The purpose of the ALU is to perform arithmetic and logical operations on data supplied in registers
What is the purpose of the system clock?
The purpose of the system clock is to generate a continuous sequence of clock pulses to step the control unit through its operation.
What are the three ways in which a processor interacts with memory?
- By fetching instructions
- By loading a memory word into a processor register
- By changing the content of a memory word by a store operation
