Section 1.2 Functions And Characteristics Of The CPU Flashcards
(9 cards)
What is the fetch decode execute cycle?
When a program is run it is first loaded into main memory. There it’s accessed by the processor which takes each instruction at a time, decodes it and executes it.
•fetch instruction from main memory
•decode
•execute instruction
What happens in the fetch part?
- address of instruction is copied from the PC to the MAR
- its then copied to the MDR
- then to CIR
What decodes the instruction?
The control unit.
What is clock speed?
The speed the processor operates at in Hertz. Typical pc speed are around 2-4 GHz. The faster the clock speed the faster instructions process.
What is cache memory?
Cache is the intermediary of the RAM and CPU. It makes often used data quickly accessible as it doesn’t have to access main memory as much.
Level 1 and 2 cache.
Level 1: faster and smaller.
Level 2: medium sized and quite fast.
What is a core?
A processor.
A duel core processor should theoretically be twice as fast, why isn’t this always true?
The computer may not be designed for multiple cores, though it will operate faster on the whole.
What is an embedded system?
It’s a microprocessor/CPU in a device to control it’s function, like a microwave or fridge. They are simple as they are only for basic tasks and usually have a WiFi link.
