Knowledge Organiser. Computing. Year 10 Term 1 Hardware

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1 Organiser Computing Year 10 Term 1 Hardware

Enquiry Question How does a computer do everything it does? Big questions that will help you answer this enquiry question: 1. What is the purpose of the CPU? 2. What is meant by 2GHZ CPU? 3.

How does Cache size speed affect the performance of the CPU? 7. How does multiple cores speed affect the performance of the CPU? 8. Why is secondary storage needed in a computer system? 9.

2 Enquiry Question How does a computer do everything it does? Big questions that will help you answer this enquiry question: 1. What is the purpose of the CPU? 2. What is meant by 2GHZ CPU? 3. What input and output devices are there for disabled people? 4. What are the tasks that are carried out by the computer? 5. How does clock speed affect the performance of the CPU? 6. How does Cache size speed affect the performance of the CPU? 7. How does multiple cores speed affect the performance of the CPU? 8. Why is secondary storage needed in a computer system? 9. What is a computer system? 10. What are the tasks that are carried out by the CPU? 11. Why is Boolean Algebra important in Computer Science? 12. What is the purpose of RAM and ROM? 13. Why is Virtual Memory needed?

3 Keywords Terminology you need to know! Keywords: Accumulator ALU Bus Cache Memory Control Unit Clock Chip Computer Architecture Control Unit CPU Dual/ Quad Core Fetch Execute Cycle Motherboard Operator Assembly Program Counter RAM - Random Access Memory. ROM - Read Only Memory Register Virtual Memory A CPU register which stores data in current use by the CPU Arithmetic Logic Unit. Performs arithmetic and logical operations in the CPU. A part of the computer architecture that transfers data and signals between the components of a computer. Special high speed memory used by a computer Works with the CPU to control the flow of data through the CPU. The electronic device in a computer which controls the timing of signals The internal logical structure and organisation of a computer Works with the CPU to control the flow of data through the CPU. Central Processing Unit. Fetches, decodes and executes instructions. A CPU with multiple cores. The process of fetching instructions from the cache, decoding them and then executing them in the CPU The central PCB that holds the crucial components of the system This is the part of the instruction that tells the CPU what to do. A register in the CPU that keeps the address of the next instruction. Main memory of a computer that stores programs and data that are currently in use. You can read data from the RAM and write data to the RAM. It is volatile memory which means when the computer is switched off the RAM will lose all of its data. Storage for data on a computer which cannot be overwritten. ROM data is always available and non-volatile. Special fast access part of the CPU that stores data currently in use. A section of the hard disk is used as if it was RAM to supplement the amount of main memory available to the computer when the main memory is insufficient.

4 How does a computer do everything it does?

5 The Central Processing Unit CPU

6 CPU Performance Keywords: How do the Characteristics of a CPU Affect its Performance? Clock Speed: A single processor can only execute one instruction at a time. The speed at which a processor can execute instructions is referred to as its Clock Speed and is measured in Hertz. One tick of this electronic clock represents one instruction being executed. These cycles happen very quickly, so clock speeds are usually measured in Megahertz (MHz) or Gigahertz (GHz). Few of the instructions that the CPU processes are actually completed in a single clock cycle and the actual number of cycles required will depend on the CPU design. This means that comparing one CPU with another just on clock speed can be too simplistic. Cache Size: Reading from and writing to main memory is very slow in comparison to the speed at which instructions are executed. This means that a super-fast processor is a complete waste of time unless you have some super-fast solution Cache memory is super-fast (and expensive!) memory that acts as a buffer between the main memory and the processor. Chunks of data/instructions from a program can be loaded into cache memory from main memory and then accessed directly by the processor as required. Data / instructions that are no longer needed can be removed from cache memory / written back to main memory as required. Number of cores: Processors originally had only one core so could only process one instruction at a time. A multi-core processor is made up of two or more independent cores (a dual-core processor contains two cores and a quad-core processor contains four cores). Each core can process instructions independently of the other cores. Instructions need to be carried out in sequence, like a product assembly line. If you have 4 processors working on the same program, they still need to execute instructions in the same order as if there were only 1 processor. The software must be written specifically for multiple processors to be any more efficient like adding a second, third or fourth assembly line.

7 Binary Logic

8 Binary Logic

9 Homework 1 CPU

10 Homework How does a computer do everything it does? Homework for week 3 and 4 Conduct research on the following processors and create a report in a Word document outlining the differences between each processor. 1. Intel Centrino 2. i3 3. i5 4. i7 Please ensure that you present your work professionally. Homework for week 5 and 6 You need to practice drawing circuit diagrams and completing truth tables. Use your notes as well as this knowledge organiser to prepare yourself to complete this homework. Complete your Binary Logic homework sheet.

net/articles/250967/ Ulrich Drepper Websites: CPU animation http://www.hartismere.

11 Wider Reading List Websites and books for further information. Books: Computer Architecture John Y. Hsu Boolean Algebra and its applications. J. Eldon Whitesitt Ulrich Drepper Websites: CPU animation Quantum Computing time_continue=355&v=f_riqjdh2om Boolean Logic & Logic Gates: Crash Course time_continue=1&v=gi-qxk7xoja

FACTFILE: GCE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

FACTFILE: GCE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AS2: FUNDAMENTALS OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY Hardware and Software Architecture 1 Learning Outcomes Students should be able to: describe the internal components of a computer