1.1.1 Structure and function of the processor

• Central Processing Unit (CPU):

  Acts as the brain of the computer, executing instructions and managing operations.
• Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU):

  Performs arithmetic and logical operations.
• Control Unit (CU):

  Manages the execution of instructions by directing other parts of the system.
• Registers:

  Fast, small memory locations directly inside the CPU used for temporary storage. Important registers include:
• Program Counter (PC):

  Holds the address of the next instruction to be executed.
• Memory Address Register (MAR):

  Holds the address in memory to be used by the current instruction.
• Memory Data Register (MDR):

  Holds the data to be written to or read from memory.
• Accumulator (ACC):

  A register that stores the intermediate outcomes of arithmetic and logic operations.
• Clock:

  Governs the timing of operations within the CPU, with its speed measured in Hertz (Hz).
• Buses:

  Electrical pathways that facilitate data transfer within the computer
• Data Bus

  Transfers data.
• Address Bus:

  Carries addresses of where data should be read from or written to.
• Control Bus:

  Carries control signals within the computer.
• Fetch-Execute Cycle:

  The fundamental operation process of the CPU, involving fetching an instruction, decoding it, executing it, and then storing the result.
• Fetch:

  The next instruction is fetched from memory into the MDR, while its address is placed in the MAR. The PC is then incremented.
• Decode:

  The CU decodes the instruction stored in the MDR.
• Execute:

  The instruction is executed, which may involve calculations by the ALU, data movement, or I/O operations.
• What are the three main components of the CPU?

  The three main components are the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU), the Control Unit (CU), and registers.
• What is the function of the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)?

  Performing arithmetic and logical operations.
• What is the role of the Control Unit (CU) in a CPU?

  The CU directs the operation of the processor, managing the fetch-execute cycle and controlling the flow of data within the CPU.
• What is the purpose of registers within the CPU?

  Registers provide fast, temporary storage for data, instructions, and addresses needed by the ALU and CU during the fetch-execute cycle.
• What is a multi-core processor, and why is it beneficial?

  A multi-core processor contains multiple processing units (cores) on a single chip, improving performance and efficiency by allowing multiple tasks to be processed simultaneously.
• What is pipelining in the context of CPU design?

  Pipelining is a technique that allows multiple instructions to be processed simultaneously at different stages of execution, increasing the throughput of the CPU.
• Describe the Harvard architecture.

  The Harvard architecture features separate memory storage and pathways for data and instructions, allowing simultaneous data access and instruction fetches, which enhances processing speed.
• What is the Von Neumann architecture?

  The Von Neumann architecture uses the same memory and pathways for both data and instructions, leading to potential bottlenecks since instruction fetches and data operations cannot occur simultaneously.
• What are the steps of the fetch-execute cycle?

  The steps include fetching the instruction from memory, decoding the instruction, executing the instruction, and then storing the result.
• What is the Von Neumann bottleneck?

  The Von Neumann bottleneck refers to the limitation in performance caused by the sequential nature of the Von Neumann architecture, where the same bus is used for both instruction fetches and data transfers, leading to potential delays.