Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (Q1)What is “Hardware”? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A1) Hardware is the electronic/electrical circuits that a computer is assembled from. It is also the platform on which the software executes. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (Q2)What is Main Memory? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A2) Main memory is the memory that is directly addressable by the processor. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q3)What is a “Memory Location”? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A3) A “Memory Location” is a separately addressable area of main memory. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (Q4)What is RAM? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A4) RAM = Random Access Memory; volatile main memory in which the locations can be accessed directly in any order with the same access time for all writing and reading operations. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (Q5)What is ROM? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A5) ROM = Read Only Memory; non-volatile main memory that cannot be written to once it is set up. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (Q6)What is “EEPROM”? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A6) EEPROM = Electrically erasable programmable read-only memory; its contents may be altered but writing is about 100 times slower than reading. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q7)What is a Computer Bus? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A7) A Computer Bus = a set of parallel wires connecting independent components of a computer system. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q8)What is a System Bus or External Bus? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A8)A System Bus is the main highway connecting the processor, main memory and I/O controllers; it is made up of a data bus, an address bus and a control bus. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (Q9)What is I/O? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A9)I/O stands for Input and Output; the I/O controllers allow the CPU to communicate with peripherals. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q10)What is a Peripheral? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A10)A Peripheral is a computer device that is not part of the CPU. It can be external (e.g. mouse, keyboard, printer, monitor, memory stick, or scanner) or internal, such as a CD – ROM drive. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q11)What is an I/O device? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A11) In I/O Device is a hardware unit that sends or receives data or stores data by communicating with the processor and main memory through an I/O controller. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q12) What is an I/O controller? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A12) In I/O Controller is an electronic circuit that connects the system bus with an I/O device; it provides the correct voltage and current for the system bus and the I/O device. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q13) What is Secondary storage? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A13) Secondary Storage is permanent storage memory not directly connected to the processor; also called a backing store. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q14)What is a main memory address? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A14) A Main Memory Address is a unique numeric code corresponding to a location in memory. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q15) What is the Stored Program Concept? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A15) The Stored Program Concept states that a program must be resident in main memory to be executed; it is processed by fetching machine code instructions in sequence from main memory and executing them one at a time, in the processor. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (Q16)What is a Register? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A16) A Register is a very fast memory location inside the processor or I/O controller. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q17) What is a General-Purpose Register? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A17) A General-Purpose Register is a register not assigned a specific role by the processor designer. Programmers may use general purpose registers. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q18)What is a Dedicated Register? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A18)A Dedicated Register is a register assigned a specific role by the processor designer. Programmers may use some but not all dedicated registers. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(Q19) What is meant by the Clock Speed? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (A19) The Clock Speed of a processor is the frequency in Megahertz or Gigahertz at which the processor executes instructions. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (Q20) What is Word Length? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(A20) Word Length is the number of digits in a binary word. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture (Q21) What is bus width? Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2

(A21) the number of signal wires or lines allocated to the bus. Chapter 7.2 Computer Architecture AS Computing COMP2