What is a program?
A program is a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do.
In what language does the CPU execute instructions?
Machine language (binary: 1s and 0s).
Why do computers need a “translation dictionary”?
Because humans write instructions in human-readable languages, but CPUs only understand binary.
Where are programs typically stored?
On long-term storage like a hard drive.
Why are programs copied into RAM before execution?
Because RAM is much faster for the CPU to access than the hard drive.
Why is RAM called “random access”?
Because the CPU can access any memory location directly and equally quickly.
What is the External Data Bus (EDB)?
A set of wires that carries actual data (bits) between computer components.
How does the EDB represent binary?
Voltage on a wire = 1
No voltage = 0
What does bus size (8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, 64-bit) represent?
How many bits can be transmitted at one time.
What is the Address Bus?
A bus that carries the memory location (address) of data, not the data itself.
What is the Memory Controller Chip (MCC)?
A component that acts as a bridge between the CPU and RAM.
It retrieves requested data from RAM and sends it to the CPU.
What are CPU registers?
Small storage locations inside the CPU that temporarily hold data being processed.
They allow the CPU to quickly store and manipulate data during calculations.
Where are calculation inputs and outputs stored inside the CPU?
In registers (e.g., Register A, Register B, Register C).
What is cache?
Very small, very fast memory inside the CPU used to store frequently accessed data.
Cache is smaller and faster than RAM.
What are the three levels of cache?
L1, L2, and L3.
Which cache level is the smallest and fastest?
L1 cache.
What is a good analogy for cache vs RAM?
RAM = refrigerator (easy access but not instant)
Cache = items in your pocket (fastest access)
What keeps CPU operations synchronized?
The internal clock.
What is a clock cycle?
One tick of the CPU clock during which the CPU performs an operation.
What does a 3.4 GHz CPU mean?
It can perform up to 3.4 billion clock cycles per second.
Does a CPU always run at its maximum clock speed?
No. It can run below its maximum but cannot exceed it under normal conditions.
What is overclocking?
Increasing the CPU’s clock speed beyond its rated maximum to improve performance.
Why do people overclock CPUs?
To increase performance (e.g., gaming, demanding tasks).
What is a major risk of overclocking?
Overheating and potential hardware damage.
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Course 1.1 : Introduction to IT62
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Course 1.1: Logic gates17
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Course 1.1: Binary18
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Course 1.1: Character Encoding8
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Course 1.1: Abstraction8
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Course 1.1: Computer Architecture Overview12
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Course 1.2: Computer Hardware Fundamentals16
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Course 1.2: Programs, CPU and Memory25
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Course 1.2: More on CPU's18
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2.1: The TCP/IP Five-Layer Network Model2
