CPU Core Components

Question 1

What is the purpose of the EDB?

Answer 1

The External Data Bus transfers data from/to the CPU

Question 2

A register in the computer performs what function?

Answer 2

Stores internal commands and data

Question 3

What are registers AX, BX, CX, and DX?

Answer 3

They are general purpose registers generated for the first 8088 computer. With 32 bit processors, they are called EAX, EBX, ECX, and EDX for exteneded general register. In 64 bit processors they are called RAX, RBX, RCX, and RDX.

Question 4

A charge on the _____ wire tells the CPU that another[oece pf omfpr,atopm os waotomg tp be processed.

Answer 4

CLK

Question 5

A single charge to the CLK wire is called a _________

Answer 5

clock cycle

Question 6

A CPU requires a minimum of how many clock cycles to act on a command?

Answer 6

two

Question 7

Define clock speed.

Answer 7

The maximum number of clock cycles that a CPU can handle in a given period of time, and is the fastest speed at which a CPU can operate.

Question 8

The CPU must run at its clock speed. True or False

Answer 8

False. A CPU can run at any speed as long as it does not exceed its clock speed.

Question 9

What is the purpose of the system crystal?

Answer 9

It determines the speed at which a CPU and the rest of the PC operates. It is a quartz crystal soldered to the motherboard.

Question 10

How does the system crystal create the clock?

Answer 10

The pulse from the crystal is fed to the clock chip which multiplies the pulse to the CPU based on what the CPU needs.

Question 11

What is overclocking and what is it’s affect on the CPU?

Answer 11

Overclocking is telling the clock chip to multiply the pulse faster than the CPU’s designed speed. This can cause overheating and stop working.

Question 12

Why can’t a programmer send the program directly from the hard drive to the CPU?

Answer 12

The hard drive is too slow and cannot feed information to the CPU fast enough.

Question 13

What is the basic function of memory?

Answer 13

Holds lines of code and data and feeds them to the CPU.

Question 14

RAM allows what function in the pc?

Answer 14

Allows the CPU to jump to any line of stored code as easily as to any other line of code at or near the clock speed of the CPU

Question 15

Any individual 1 or 0 is called? 4 bits? 8 bits? 16 bits? 32 bits? 64 bits?

Answer 15

a bit; nibble; byte; a word; a double word; a paragraph or a quad word.

Question 16

What is DRAM? What is it used for?

Answer 16

DRAM is dynamic random access memory. It is used for system memory. It requires a constant charge and a periodic refresh of the circuits to keep from losing data.

Question 17

The memory controller chip (MCC) does what in the computer?

Answer 17

The MCC contains special circuitry so it can grab the contents of any line of RAM and place that data or command on the EDB.