GCSE (9-1) topic: Computer Science
Flashcards Topic/Chapter: Chapter 1 - Hardware
Number of flashcards: 37
I am a grammar school student who completed GCSEs in the summer of 2021. I achieved 8 9s and 3 8s.
I achieved a Grade 9 in Computer Science.
These are the flashcards that I made for...
What are transistors? Microscopic switches that store 1s and 0s on a
silicon chip board.
What are the components of a CPU? Controller; ALU; registers; internal memory.
What is the job of the controller/control unit? Receives and sends signals across the
computer. Ensures processes take place at the
right time in the correct order.
What is the job of the ALU? Processes and manipulates data. Performs
calculations and comparisons (e.g. if-
statement).
What is the purpose of registers? A very fast storage location that temporarily
stores data.
What is the job of internal memory? Cache memory. Fast access to temporary
storage (not as fast as registers).
What is a bus? A pathway that allows data to be transferred
across parts of a computer.
What does the address bus carry? What parts Carries the storage address of data. Links
does it link? Internal Memory and RAM.
What does the Data bus do? What does it link? Carries data. Links input devices; output
devices; Internal Memory and RAM.
What does the Control bus do? What does it Carries control signals. Links to the controller to
link? RAM; input devices; output devices.
Who was Von Neumann? In 1945 he proposed storing program
instructions in the same memory as data. A
Stored program.
What does 'Fetch' do? Take the address required from memory, stores
it in the instruction register, and moves the
program counter on one so that it points at the
next instruction.
What does 'Decode' do? The controller checks the instruction in the
instruction register. The instruction is decoded
to determine the action that needs to be
carried out.
What does 'Execute' mean? Carry out the actual actions.
What is CPU Cache memory? Fast, expensive memory. More cache means
more instructions and data / second to the
CPU. More cache means better performance.
What is Clock Speed? The number of instructions that can be carried
out per second by the CPU. 2.5 GHz =
2,500,000,000 instructions/second.
What is overclocking? What are the pros/cons? Making the processor run faster than it was
designed to. (+) Better performance as more
instructions per second (-) More heat (-) More
energy usage (-) Decreases CPU lifespan
What is underclocking? What are the Setting the CPU to run slower than it was
pros/cons? designed to. (+) Less heat (+) Less energy usage
(+) Increased life (-) Less instructions / second,
therefore worse performance
What are cores? Why does the number of cores A core is a processing component in the CPU.
matter? More cores allows for more instructions to be
processed simultaneously.
What is a RISC processor? What does it stand Reduced Instruction Set Computer. Carries out
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