systems architecture Flashcards
1
Q
what is the purpose of the CPU?
A
to process data and instructions by constantly repeating the fetch - execute cycle
2
Q
CPU components
A
- control unit
- registers
- cache memory
- arithmetic logic unit
3
Q
what does the control unit do?
A
- sends control signals to direct the operation of the CPU
- control signals and timing signals are sent to the ALU and other components such as RAM
- also decodes instructions
4
Q
what are registers?
A
- temporary storage space for one instruction or address
- different registers are used during the fetch - execute cycle
5
Q
what is cache memory?
A
- used to temporarily store data that is frequently accessed
- split into different levels
- slower to access than registers but much faster than RAM
6
Q
what is the arithmetic and logic unit
A
- performs simple calculations and logical operations
7
Q
what is von neumann architecture?
A
- stores both program instructions and data in the same memory(RAM)
- data is transferred b
