unit 1.1 Systems Architecture

Question 1

CPU

Answer 1

Is the Central Processing Unit:

• the brains of the computer
• holds nothing permanently
• carries out instructions
• processes data

Question 2

one register in the CPU

Answer 2

MAR= Memory Address Register

• holds the memory location of data that needs to be accessed
• the contents of the PC are copied here and then transferred along the address bus

Question 3

effects of a faster clock speed

Answer 3

more energy and more heat

Question 4

how many cores in a quad core

Answer 4

4 cores

Question 5

effect of having a processor with more cores

Answer 5

more power to run multiple programs at the same time

Question 6

effects of a processor with a bigger cache

Answer 6

faster the data transfer and the better the CPU performance

Question 7

what is an embedded system?

Answer 7

a system with one specific function and is part of a complete device (bigger system) which includes hardware and software

Question 8

3 examples of embedded systems

Answer 8

• DVD player
• microwave
• dishwasher

Question 9

what is the purpose of the ALU?

Answer 9

means: Arithmetic Logic Unit
performs arithmetic and logical operations including:
* +
* - 
*AND
*OR

Question 10

what is the purpose of the control unit?

Answer 10

overall control of the FDE cycle

• controls flow of data
• sends control signals between the different internal components:
• memory read
• memory write
• I/O write
• hard drive disk read

Question 11

what is the purpose of cache?

Answer 11

a very fast and a very small memory in the CPU/procession chip
-stores commonly used instructions