Hardware Flashcards
programs
basic instructions that tell computer what to do. technically stored on durable media like hard drives.
external data bus (EDB)
a row of wires used to transport binary data and that interconnects the parts of computer.
registers
stores data inside the CPU that the CPU works with.
RAM
ransom access memory. computer’s short-term memory.
Address Bus
used to transport memory addresses. connects CPU to MCC. sends location of data but not data itself.
Memory Controller Chip (MCC)
the bridge between the CPU and RAM
How do the CPU, the address bus, the memory controller chip, and the external data bus work together?
The CPU asks, through the address bus, for data that it needs. The MCC looks for the data in RAM and sends it back over through the External Data Bus.
cache
stores data used often or recently for quicker access. located in CPU
What are the 3 different levels of cache and which is the smallest and fastest?
L1, L2, L3. L1 is the smallest and fastest.
clock wire
an internal clock that keeps operations in sync. sending/receiving data sends voltage to it to let CPU know it can begin doing calculations. for every “tick” does 1 cycle of operrations.
clock cycle
voltage sent to clock wire
clock speed
the maximum number of clock cycles a CPU can handle in a set period of time
3.4 gigahertz equals how many clock cycles per what unit of time?
3.4 billion cycles per second
instruction set
a list of instructions the CPU is able to run. programs are complex and broken down into very small, simple instructions found in instruction set, which is hard-coded in CPU. different manufacturers use different sets but all generally perform same function.
what are some examples of different manufacturers instruction sets?
Intel (i.e. Intel Core i7), AMD (i.e. AMD Athlon) Qualeom.
each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
What are the 2 major types of CPU sockets?
land grid array (LGA) and pin grid array (PGA)
Where are the pins located on LGA and PGA sockets?
LGA- on the motherboard PGA- on the processor itself
heat sink
takes heat from CPU and dissipates it through a fan or other medium
What does 32 bit and 64 bit architecture refer to?
The width of the data bus and how it can efficiently handle memory. 32 bit can handle 3 GB of application memory and 62 bit has 16 Terabytes maximum of system memory allocation.
volatile memory
all data cleared once machine powered off
microscopic capacitor
a semiconductor located in chips on RAM. stores each bit as a charge (1) or discharge (0)
memory stick
located on motherboard. where DRAM chips placed.
DRAM
dynamic random access memory. type of RAM chip
SDRAM
synchronous DRAM. synchronized to system’s clock speed which allows data to be processed quicker
DDR
SDRAM synchronous double data rate RAM. faster, uses less power, and has larger capacity than SDRAM versions.
DDR4
latest version of DDR and fastest short-term memory available. faster= programs can be run faster and more programs can run at same time
motherboard
holds everything together and allows components to communicate with each other/ manages data between CPU, RAM, and peripherals.
form factor
the different sizes of motherboards available. size determines amount of stuff that can be put in and amount of space and expansion slots available.
ATX
advanced technology extended. most common form factor. comes in different sizes. desktops usually have full-sized.
ITX
information technology extended. much smaller than ATX. Intel NUC uses 3 variations (mini, nano, pico)
chipset
decides how components talk to each other on the machine and made up of 2 chips: Northbridge and Southbridge.
Northbridge
interconnects RAM and video cards. in some modern computers, directly integrated into CPU.
Southbridge
maintains I/O controllers like hard and USB devices that input and output data
peripherals
the external devices that are connected to the computer like the mouse. keyboard, and monitor
