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The document provides an overview of computer architecture, detailing the CPU's functions, components, and the Von Neumann architecture. It explains the fetch-decode-execute cycle, memory types, system buses, and factors affecting CPU performance. Additionally, it discusses embedded systems, their benefits and drawbacks, and examples of their applications.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
6 views5 pages

3.1 comp sci notes very nice

The document provides an overview of computer architecture, detailing the CPU's functions, components, and the Von Neumann architecture. It explains the fetch-decode-execute cycle, memory types, system buses, and factors affecting CPU performance. Additionally, it discusses embedded systems, their benefits and drawbacks, and examples of their applications.

Uploaded by

merchantaggy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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3.

1 Computer Architecture

Q1) What is computer architecture?


Ans: Computer architecture is a set of rules and methods that describe the functionality,
organization, and implementation of computer systems.

Q2) What is the CPU?

● The CPU processes instructions and input data into the computer so that the result
can be output.
● It is also known as a microprocessor, often installed as an integrated circuit on a
single microchip.
● It is made of billions of transistors that combine to form logic gates.

Q3) Describe the Von Neumann architecture.

● John von Neumann created the idea of a stored-program computer.


● This meant the CPU could directly access memory.
● This means that program instructions and data are stored in the main memory.
● Instructions are fetched and executed one after another.

Q4) What are the components of the CPU?


Ans: Arithmetic and Logic unit, Control Unit, registers

Q5) What is the ALU


Ans:
● The arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) allows the required arithmetic and logic
operations to be performed while a program runs.
● Computers can have more than one ALU to carry out specific functions.

Q6) What is the Control Unit (CU)?


1. It reads an instruction from memory.
2. The address of the location where the instruction can be found is stored in the
Program Counter (PC).
3. This is then interpreted using the fetch-decode-execute cycle.
4. During that process, signals are generated along the control bus to tell other
components in the computer what to do.
5. The control unit ensures data flow synchronization and program instructions
throughout the computer.
6. A system clock produces timing signals on the control bus to ensure
synchronization and prevent the computer from crashing.
7. The RAM holds all the data and programs needed by the CPU and is also
called the IAS ( Immediate Access Store).
8. The CPU temporarily takes data and programs held in the backing store, such
as a hard disk drive, and puts them into RAM.
9. This is done faster than read/write operations to the backing store, which
means any critical data needed by an application is temporarily stored in the
RAM to speed up operations.

Q7) What are Registers


Ans: Registers are memory locations within the CPU with a specific purpose and can be
easily accessed. They hold data temporarily.

Q8) What are the types of registers used?


● Current Instruction Register( CIR)- Stores the current instruction being
decoded and executed
● Accumulator(ACC)- This shows the result ALU calculations where it holds
data temporarily.
● Memory Access register (MAR)- Stores the address of the memory location
currency being read from or written to
● Memory data register(MDR)- Stores data that has just been read from the
memory or data that is just about to be written to the memory
● Program counter(PC) - Stores the address where the next instruction to be
read can be found

Q9) Describe Memory

● The memory is made up of partitions.


● Each partition consists of an address and its contents.
● This address will uniquely identify every location in the memory, and the contents will
be the binary values stored at each location.

1) READ- The address to be read is first written in the MAR. A read signal is sent to the
computer's memory. The contents of the memory location are then put into the MDR.
2) WRITE- The address to be read is first written in the MDR. The contents of the
memory location are then put into the MAR. A write signal is sent to the computer
memory and will be written at its correct location.
Q10) What are System Buses

They are used in computers as parallel transmission components; each wire in the
bus transmits one bit of data.

1) Address Bus—It carries addresses through the computer system. The


address bus is unidirectional between the CPU and memory, preventing
addresses from being carried back to the CPU. The bus's importance
depends on its width. The wider the bus, the more memory locations can be
directly addressed at any given time.

2) Data Bus- It is bidirectional. Data can be carried to the CPU from the memory
and to and from the output and input devices (and vice versa). Data can be
addressed as a value or numeric data. The importance relies on the width of
the bus. The wider the bus, the larger the word length that can be transported

3) Control Bus- It is bidirectional. It carries signals from the control unit to all the
other computer components. It is usually 8 bits wide. It does not need to be
wider since it only carries signals.

Q11) Describe the fetch-decode-execute cycle

● The PC contains the address of the next instruction to be fetched


● The address contained in the PC is copied to the MAR via the address bus
● The instruction is then copied from the memory location contained in the MAR and is
placed in the MDR
● The entire instruction is then copied from the MDR and placed in the CIR
● The value in the PC is then incremented so that it points to the next instruction to be
fetched
● The address part of the instruction is placed in the MAR
● The instruction is finally decoded and then executed

Q12) What are the 3 stages of FDE

● Fetch- an instruction is passed from the memory to the CPU


● Decode- The CPU works out the meaning of the instruction
● Execute- The CPU carries out the instruction
● This cycle then repeats..

Q13) What are the Factors affecting the CPU performance

1. The address and data bus's width can also increase computer performance.
2. Clock speed- Clock speed is the maximum number of fetch-decode execute cycles a
CPU can perform in 1 second. The clock speed can be changed by accessing the
BIOS and altering the settings. However, using a clock speed higher than the
computer was designed for can lead to problems such as execution of instructions
outside design limits, can lead to seriously unsynchronised operations and can cause
the computer to crash and become unstable, which can cause overclocking
frequently. Overclocking can lead to severe CPU overheating, leading to unreliable
performance.

3. The use of cache memories can also improve CPU performance. Unlike RAM, cache
memory is located within the CPU, which means it has much faster data access
times than RAM. Cache stores temporary memory using static RAM to hold
frequently used data/instructions by the CPU that need to be accessed faster,
increasing CPU performance. When a CPU wants to read memory, it will check out
the cache and then move on to the main memory/RAM if the required data isn’t there.
The larger the cache memory size, the better the CPU performance.

4. A singular core is a unit on a CPU made up of ALU, CU, and registers. It helps to
perform the fetch decode execute cycle. Using more cores will increase the
performance since more instructions can be processed simultaneously. However,
doubling the number of cores doesn’t necessarily double the computer’s performance
since we have to consider the CPU's need to communicate with each core; this will
reduce overall performance.

Q14) What is an Instruction set

● In a computer system, instructions are a set of operations decoded in sequence.


● Each operation will instruct the ALU and CU
● An operation is made up of an opcode (informs the CPU what operations need to be
done) and an operand (data that needs to be acted on)
● All software running on a computer will contain a set of instructions that need to be
converted into binary.

Q15) What are the differences between an instruction set and a programming instruction?

Instruction set- Instructions are written in a low-level language and need an assembler to
convert the low-level language instructions to machine language.

Programming instructions are written in a high-level language; interpreters are needed to


convert the code into the instruction set.

Q16) What is an Embedded system

An embedded system combines hardware and software designed to carry out a specific set
of functions. The hardware is electronic, electrical, or electro-mechanical.

Q17) What are Embedded systems based on?

1) microcontrollers: has a CPU in addition to some RAM and ROM and other
peripherals all embedded onto one single chip, which will perform a task
2) microprocessor: integrated circuit that only has a CPU on the chip with no RAM/ROM
3) system on chips (SoC): this may contain a microcontroller as one of its components
along with CPU, memory, input/output ports, and secondary storage on a single
microchip

Q18) What will happen if an embedded system is put in place?

1. When installed in a device, an operator can input data manually, or the data will
come from an automatic source, such as a sensor.
2. This sensor input will be analog or digital.
3. The output will then carry out the function of the embedded system by sending
signals to the components that are being controlled.

Q19) Examples of embedded systems?

1) Motor vehicles- GPS, Airbags, Traction Control


2) Domestic systems such as fridges, washing machine
3) Set-top box
4) Security systems
5) Lighting systems

Q20) Benefits vs Drawbacks of Embedded Systems

Benefits:

1. Small in size and easy to fit into other devices


2. Compared to other systems, they are of low-cost
3. They consume little power
4. They can be controlled remotely using a phone
5. They are dedicated to one talk, allowing simple interfaces with no requirement for an
operating system
6. Swift reaction to changing input
7. More reliable

Drawbacks:

1. Difficult to upgrade, so you cannot take advantage of advances in technology


2. Troubleshooting faults become a specialist task.
3. It is accessed over the internet, so it is open to hackers and virus
4. Although it appears to be simple, it might be more confusing
5. Difficulty upgrading causes devices to be thrown away rather than repaired
6. This increases the chances of a throw-away society just because the technology has
been dated

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