Systems Architecture Quiz

The ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) is responsible for performing arithmetic (e.g., addition and subtraction) and logical operations (e.g., AND, OR) in the CPU.

The Control Unit (CU) manages the execution of instructions in the CPU. It coordinates the activities of the other components, such as fetching instructions from memory, decoding them, and controlling the flow of data.

Clock speed refers to the number of cycles the CPU can perform per second, measured in Hertz (Hz). A higher clock speed indicates a faster CPU.

The Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle is the process by which the CPU retrieves an instruction from memory (fetch), interprets it (decode), and then performs the action (execute). This cycle repeats continuously.

RAM (Random Access Memory) is volatile memory used to store data that is currently being processed. ROM (Read-Only Memory) is non-volatile memory that contains essential instructions for the computer to start up (boot).

The program counter is a register in the CPU that stores the address of the next instruction to be executed. It ensures that the CPU processes instructions in the correct sequence.

Registers are small, fast storage locations in the CPU used to hold data and instructions that are being processed or temporarily stored during calculations.

A bus is a communication pathway used to transfer data between different components of the computer, such as the CPU, memory, and input/output devices.

Primary storage refers to memory directly accessible by the CPU, such as RAM and cache, which are fast but temporary. Secondary storage refers to devices like hard drives or SSDs, which provide long-term storage but are slower.

Cache memory is faster than RAM because it is located closer to the CPU and is designed to store frequently used instructions and data, reducing the time needed to access them.