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A-Level Computer Science AQA 2024 Exam Comprehensive Study Guide
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- AQA A Level Computer Science
A-Level Computer Science AQA 2024 Exam Comprehensive Study Guide
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A-Level Computer ScienceAQA 2024 Exam
Comprehensive Study Guide
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) - Answer>>The part of the central
processing unit that performs arithmetic computations and logical
operations
Control Unit - Answer>>Coordinates activities in the CPU,
memory and peripherals
Clock - Answer>>Creates pulses to step the control unit
through its operations. Increasing the frequency of pulses, or the
"clock speed", increases the rate at which the computer can
process instructions
Registers - Answer>>Very fast memory stored on or near the
processor. General purpose registers are used to store variables
within the CU. Increasing the number of these registers increases
the number of variables that can be stored
Program Counter (PC) - Answer>>Holds the address of the
next instruction to be executed
Current Instruction Register (CIR) - Answer>>Stores the current
instruction (in binary)
Memory Address Register (MAR) - Answer>>Holds the address
of a memory location from which data will be read or data will be
written to
,Memory Buffer Register (MBR) - Answer>>Temporarily stores
the data read from or written to memory
Status Register (SR) - Answer>>Holds information about the
current state of operations. It is used to set flags (e.g. carry or
overflow) or to detect error conditions
Bus Width - Answer>>The number of parallel signal lines or
wires allocated to a bus
Word Length - Answer>>The number of digits in a binary "word"
used in the CPU. Increasing this will increase the maximum size
of the instructions and data within the CPU
Cache Memory - Answer>>A small amount of very fast
memory. Increasing the amount of cache memory increases the
speed at which instructions can be carried out as less time is
taken accessing the slower main memory
Data Bus - Answer>>The component of the CPU that carries
data between the CU and the main memory. Increasing the width
of the data bus increases the amount of data that can be
transmitted at the same time
Address Bus - Answer>>The component of the CPU that
carries address locations from the CU to the main memory.
Increasing the width of this bus enables the processor to access a
larger number of main memory locations, meaning that more data
can be stored in main memory before secondary storage must be
used
, Multicore Processors - Answer>>Increases throughput but
greatly increases complexity and heat production. Each core can
process instructions simultaneously
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) - Answer>>A form of
contactless identification which uses radio waves to transmit and
receive data. Reader induces a current in the chip which allows it
to transmit its data
Digital Camera - Answer>>A type of camera that is able to save
images and videos digitally, normally to an SD card or other form
of EMMC storage. Light sensors in the camera are used to create
a bitmap image
Barcode Reader - Answer>>The reader shines a laser on to the
barcode. The laser is reflected off of the white lines and absorbed
by the black lines, and the reader picks up the reflections. The
width of each line corresponds to a binary code
Laser Printer - Answer>>A type of printer that uses electrical
charges to create an image on paper. The printer drum and the
toner are negatively charged, and the charge on the drum is
neutralised in certain areas with a laser, making the toner stick to
the drum in these places. The paper passes over the drum and
the toner is transferred with the help of a positively charged roller,
and the toner is then fused with the paper using heat. Colour
printers repeat this process over four drums, one for each toner
colour.
Hard Drives - Answer>>A non-volatile, magnetic form of internal
or external storage, that permanently stores and retrieves data on
a computer
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