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Computer Architecture and Processing Systems

The processor, the clock and the registers

  • 3 things to know
  • AS Unit 2

Overview

Role of the processor in a computer system, three main parts of a processor and job of the control unit.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Process

What is the role of the processor in a computer system?

Process

Name the three main parts of a processor.

Key term

What does the arithmetic logic unit do?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is the role of the processor in a computer system?

    Model answer

    The processor fetches, decodes and executes the instructions of a program, and carries out the arithmetic and logic those instructions call for.

  2. 2

    Name the three main parts of a processor.

    Model answer

    A processor contains the arithmetic logic unit, the control unit and a set of registers.

  3. 3

    What does the arithmetic logic unit do?

    Model answer

    The arithmetic logic unit performs arithmetic such as addition and subtraction, logical comparisons such as AND, OR and NOT, and shifts of the bits in a value.

  4. 4

    Describe the job of the control unit.

    Model answer

    The control unit decodes each instruction and sends timing and control signals to the other components so that the instruction is carried out in the right order.

  5. 5

    What is a register?

    Model answer

    A register is a very small, very fast store inside the processor that holds a single item of data or a single address while an instruction is being carried out.

  6. 6

    Why can a register be reached faster than a location in main memory?

    Model answer

    A register sits inside the processor itself, so its contents need no journey along a bus and are available within a single clock cycle.

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