4. The Processor

• What is meant by Von Neumann Architecture?


  Stores a program in memory as instructions and executes them sequentially using the ALU, control unit and registers. 
• What is the computer basic structure in modern computers? (draw)


  this

  
• What is hardware?


  Physical devices that make up a computer system
• What are peripherals?


  Input and output devices which ar connected to the processor
• What does the operating system do with peripherals and the processor?


  Controls connection between peripherals and the processor
• What are the three key components inside the processor?


  Control unit / CU

  Arithmetic Logic Unit / ALU

  Memory Unit / RAM
• What is the function of the CU?


  -Controls all the other parts of the computer

  -Sends signals telling the other parts what to do
• what is the function of the ALU?

  -Processes data using binary maths and logic

  -Uses processes such as binary addition and binary shift
• What is the function of memory unit / RAM?


  Holds data and instructions that the computer needs while it is working
• What is the fetch execute cycle? How fast is it and what does it involve?


  Data and instructions are passed round the processor

  Carried out millions of times a second

  Involves ALL parts of the processor
• Explain the Fetch-Execute Cycle [4 stages]?


  Fetch : Instructions and data travel from RAM to control unit and are sent as binary numers

  Decode : Control unit changes a binary number from RAM into an instruction signal

  Execute : Control Unit sends instruction signal to ALU which executes instruction

  Store : Result of calculation is sent back to RAM to save for later
• What is a clock signal?


  Regular pulses of electricity sent out by the control unit
• A dual core processor has two CPUs and two ALUs. This type of processor can execute two instructions at the same time
• A quad-core processor has four CPUs and four ALUs. This type of processor can execute four instructions at the same time
• What is cache?

  Temporary storage for frequently accessed data.
• Give 3 features of Cache Memory?

  Smaller than RAM

  Cannot hold as much data or instructions

  Very close to rest of processor
• How can the fetch-execute cycle go even faster?

  When the CPU fetches data and instructions from cache memory at high speed
• Cache memory is used to store frequently used instructions and data
• The bigger the cache is , the more data and instructions can be held in this "fast access" area
• It takes the computer longer to retrieve data and instructions from RAM
• What is computer performance?

  How fast the computer goes
• A high-performance computer can process more instructions,more quickly.
• Explain four factors linked to faster CPU processing/performance (5)?

  Clock speed - The higher the clock speed, the greater the number of instructions that can be carried out per second as there are more cycles per second

  
  

  Multi-Core : The more cores a CPU has, the greater the number of instructions it can process in a given space of time so the faster it can process a batch of data

  
  

  RAM Size : It is quicker to fetch data from RAM than from storage

  
  

  Cache : More frequently used instructions can be stored in cache , meaning that the time is reduced as the CPU does not need to go to main memory