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Computer Science A level > Fundamentals of Computer Organisation & Architecture > Flashcards

Fundamentals of Computer Organisation & Architecture Flashcards

1
Q

What is the role of a computer’s processor?

A

The processor executes program instructions to run applications.

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2
Q

What are the main components of a computer’s main memory?

A

RAM (random access memory) and ROM (read-only memory).

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3
Q

How does storing frequently used data in main memory benefit the processor?

A

Main memory is faster than secondary storage, so storing frequently used data in RAM or ROM helps the processor execute instructions quickly.

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4
Q

What is a bus in a computer system?

A

A bus is a series of parallel wires that connect internal components of a computer system, allowing signals to be passed between them.

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5
Q

Name the three buses commonly found in a computer system.

A

The address bus, the data bus, and the control bus.

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6
Q

What is the purpose of the address bus?

A

The address bus is used to transport memory addresses, specifying where data is to be sent to or retrieved from.

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7
Q

How does increasing the width of the address bus affect the computer’s addressable memory?

A

Increasing the width of the address bus increases the range of addresses that can be specified, thus increasing the computer’s amount of addressable memory.

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8
Q

What is the role of the data bus?

A

The data bus sends data and instructions to and from different components of the computer system

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9
Q

What is the function of the control bus?

A

The control bus carries control signals that regulate the operation of the computer system, including the clock signal.

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10
Q

What do I/O controllers do?

A

I/O controllers control the communication of data between the processor and external hardware devices such as keyboards, mice, and monitors.

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11
Q

What is the difference between Harvard architecture and von Neumann architecture?

A

Harvard architecture uses separate main memory locations for instructions and data, while von Neumann architecture stores both instructions and data together in the same memory.

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12
Q

What advantage does Harvard architecture offer?

A

Harvard architecture allows each piece of main memory to have different characteristics, such as making the instruction memory read-only.

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13
Q

In which types of systems is Harvard architecture commonly used?

A

Harvard architecture is extensively used in embedded systems like digital signal processing.

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14
Q

What types of systems typically use von Neumann architecture?

A

Von Neumann architecture is used in everyday general-purpose computer systems like laptops and smartphones

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15
Q

How is a computer that uses the stored program concept defined?

A

A computer that uses the stored program concept is defined as “serially fetching and executing machine code instructions stored in main memory by a processor that performs arithmetic and logical operations.”

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16
Q

What does it mean for instructions to be fetched and executed serially?

A

Instructions are fetched and executed in order, where the first instruction is fetched and then executed before the second instruction is fetched.

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17
Q

What does the term “fetching” refer to in the stored program concept?

A

Fetching refers to retrieving an instruction from the main memory.

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18
Q

What does it mean to execute an instruction in the stored program concept?

A

Executing an instruction means carrying out the operations specified by the fetched instruction.

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19
Q

What are machine code instructions?

A

Machine code instructions are instructions formed from 1s and 0s that the processor can directly execute without the need for translation.

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20
Q

Where are program instructions and frequently used data stored in a computer?

A

They are stored in the main memory, which includes RAM and ROM.

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21
Q

What are arithmetic operations?

A

Arithmetic operations involve mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication.

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22
Q

What are logical operations?

A

Logical operations involve the use of logic gates like AND, OR, and NOT.

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23
Q

How does the stored program concept allow modern computers to run numerous different applications?

A

By storing program instructions in main memory, different sets of instructions can be switched out, allowing computers to run various applications.

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24
Q

What are the two different architectures based on the stored program concept?

A

Harvard architecture and von Neumann architecture.

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25
Q

In which architecture are instructions and data stored separately?

A

Harvard architecture stores instructions and data in different pieces of main memory.

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26
Q

In which architecture are instructions and data stored together?

A

Von Neumann architecture stores instructions and data together in the same memory.

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27
Q

What is the role of the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) in a processor?

A

The ALU performs arithmetic and logic operations, where arithmetic operations involve mathematical calculations and logic operations include operations like AND, OR, and XOR.

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28
Q

What is the role of the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) in a processor?

A

The ALU performs arithmetic and logic operations, where arithmetic operations involve mathematical calculations and logic operations include operations like AND, OR, and XOR.

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29
Q

What is the function of the control unit in a processor?

A

The control unit is responsible for controlling the various components of the processor and manages the fetch-execute cycle

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30
Q

What are registers in a processor?

A

Registers are small storage locations used to temporarily hold data. They have high read and write speeds.

31
Q

What are general-purpose registers and special-purpose registers?

A

General-purpose registers can be used to store any data required by instructions during execution, while special-purpose registers are assigned to store specific information.

32
Q

What is the purpose of the program counter (PC) register?

A

The program counter holds the memory address of the next instruction to be executed in the fetch-execute cycle

33
Q

What is the role of the current instruction register (CIR)?

A

The CIR holds the instruction that is currently being executed by the processor.

34
Q

What is the function of the memory address register (MAR)?

A

The MAR stores the memory address of a memory location that is to be read from or written to.

35
Q

What is the purpose of the memory buffer register (MBR) or memory data register (MDR)?

A

The MBR (or MDR) holds the contents of a memory location that has been read from or data that is to be stored.

36
Q

What is the purpose of the status register (SR)?

A

The status register contains bits that can change to indicate the occurrence of an interrupt.

37
Q

What is the role of the system clock in a processor?

A

The system clock generates a timing signal at a regular frequency, synchronizing communication between the processor components and the rest of the computer system.

38
Q

How many stages are there in the fetch-execute cycle, and what are they?

A

There are three stages: fetch, decode, and execute.

39
Q

What happens in the fetch stage of the fetch-execute cycle?

A

The next instruction to execute is retrieved from the main memory.

40
Q

What happens in the decode stage of the fetch-execute cycle?

A

The fetched instruction is decoded, splitting it into opcode and operands.

41
Q

What occurs in the execute stage of the fetch-execute cycle?

A

The instruction is carried out, and any required data is fetched. The results of calculations are stored in registers or main memory.

42
Q

What is checked between the execute and fetch stages of the fetch-execute cycle?

A

The content of the status register is checked for changes that could indicate the occurrence of an interrupt.

43
Q

What are the two primary parts of an instruction in machine code?

A

The two primary parts are the opcode and the operands.

44
Q

What does the opcode specify in a machine code instruction?

A

The opcode specifies the type of operation to be carried out, such as addition, subtraction, or logical shifting.

45
Q

What is immediate addressing?

A

In immediate addressing, the value specified in the operand is treated as the actual value for the operation.

46
Q

What is direct addressing?

A

In direct addressing, the value specified by an operand represents a memory address where the actual value for the operation can be found.

47
Q

How is immediate addressing different from direct addressing?

A

: In immediate addressing, the operand value is the actual value, while in direct addressing, the operand value represents a memory address.

48
Q

What does the addressing mode specify in a machine code instruction?

A

The addressing mode determines how the operand is interpreted, whether as an immediate value or a memory address.

49
Q

Why may instructions for one processor not be compatible with other processors?

A

Each processor has its own instruction set, so instructions designed for one processor may not be recognized or executed correctly by other processors.

50
Q

What is a logical shift operation?

A

A logical shift operation involves shifting all the bits in a binary number a specified number of positions to the right or left.

51
Q

Perform a logical shift left by three places on the binary number 011011010.

A

The result of the shift would be 011011010000.

52
Q

What is an interrupt?

A

An interrupt is a signal sent to the processor requesting its attention, typically from another part of the computer system.

53
Q

Give examples of hardware interrupts.

A

Examples of hardware interrupts include the mouse being moved or a key being pressed on the keyboard.

54
Q

How are interrupts detected during the fetch-execute cycle?

A

interrupts are detected as a change in the content of the status register between the execute and fetch stages of the cycle.

55
Q

: What is the vectored interrupt method?

A

The vectored interrupt method is a way of handling interrupts where the processor stops executing the current program, saves its registers on the system stack, and executes an interrupt service routine specific to the type of interrupt.

56
Q

What factors can affect a processor’s performance?

A

Factors that can affect a processor’s performance include the number of cores, cache memory, clock speed, word length, address bus width, and data bus width.

57
Q

How does cache memory affect processor performance?

A

Cache memory stores frequently used information, reducing the time wasted in fetching the same information from main memory repeatedly.

58
Q

What does a processor’s clock speed represent?

A

A processor’s clock speed represents the frequency of pulses generated by the system clock, affecting the number of fetch-execute cycles completed in a given time period.

59
Q

What does the width of the address bus and data bus affect?

A

: The width of the address bus affects the range of addressable memory, while the width of the data bus affects the volume of data that can be transferred over the bus in a single cycle.

60
Q

What are barcodes and barcode readers used for?

A

Barcodes and barcode readers are used to identify products in supermarkets and other settings.

61
Q

What are the two main types of barcodes?

A

The two main types of barcodes are 1D and 2D.

62
Q

How do barcode readers work?

A

Barcode readers use a laser light source, a lens, photodiodes, and a mirror to read the information encoded in barcodes.

The mirror directs light from the laser onto a printed barcode. The light reflected by the barcode passes through the lens and is incident on the photodiode which ​turns light into electrical charge​.

63
Q

What do light and dark portions of a barcode represent?

A

Light portions of a barcode reflect the most light, while dark sections absorb incident light. The pattern of light and dark stripes corresponds to binary 1s and 0s.

64
Q

What are some error detection and prevention methods in barcodes?

A

Barcodes can have built-in error detection and prevention methods, such as parity bits and check digits.

65
Q

How do digital cameras work?

A

Digital cameras use lenses to focus light onto a sensor (CMOS or CCD), which converts incident light into electrical charge. The charge in each pixel is measured, processed, and stored as a digital image.

66
Q

What is a Bayer filter used for in digital cameras?

A

A Bayer filter is a color filter used in digital cameras. It allows the camera to capture separate images for the intensity of each color (red, green, and blue), which are then combined to form a full-color photograph.

67
Q

How do laser printers produce images on paper?

A

Laser printers use a laser light source, a mirror, a drum, a toner roller, and fusers to produce images on paper. The laser creates an impression of the page on the positively charged drum, and toner is applied to the paper, which is then heated to fix the toner.

68
Q

What is RFID used for?

A

RFID (radio frequency identification) is used for wireless transfer of information between a tag and a reader. It is commonly used in contactless credit and debit cards and hotel room cards.

69
Q

How do RFID tags work?

A

RFID tags contain a chip and an antenna. When scanned by a reader, the tag’s antenna powers the chip, which emits its own radio wave containing the information stored on the chip.

70
Q

What are some examples of secondary storage devices?

A

Secondary storage devices include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), and optical disks

71
Q

How do hard disk drives store data?

A

Hard disk drives use circular platters, read/write heads, concentric tracks, and sectors to store data magnetically. The read/write heads change the magnetic polarity of portions of the platter to write and read data.

72
Q

How do solid-state drives (SSDs) store data?

A

SSDs use NAND flash memory cells and a controller to store data. The memory cells trap electrical charge to represent information. Data is stored in pages and blocks, and the controller must erase entire pages before writing new information.

73
Q

How do optical disks store and read information?

A

Optical disks store information optically using a laser. Read-only disks have burnt pits and lands, while recordable and rewritable disks use an opaque dye that reflects or absorbs the laser beam

74
Q

What are some key differences between hard disk drives, solid-state drives, and optical disks?

A
  • Hard disk drives have high capacity, moderate read/write speeds, high latency, and are less portable.
  • Solid-state drives have lower capacity, very high read/write speeds, low latency, and are lightweight.
  • Optical disks have low capacity, relatively low speeds, high latency, and are small but can be damaged by scratches and dirt.

Computer Science A level (9 decks)

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