Computer Architecture

Components of Computer

A computer consists of following three main components

1. Input/Output (I/O) Unit

2. Central Processing Unit

3. Memory Unit
Input Unit

The computer accepts coded information through input unit by the user.

(i) It accepts the instructions and data from the user.

(ii) It converts these instructions and data in computer in acceptable

format.

(iii) It supplies the converted instructions and data to the computer

system for further processing.

Output Unit

This unit sends the processed results to the user.

(i) It accepts the results produced by the computer which are in coded form

and hence cannot be easily understood by user.

 (ii) It converts these coded results to human acceptable form.

(iii) It supplies the converted results to the user.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

• The term CPU means "Central

Processing Unit"

• CPU is the main part of the computer system.

• "CPU" is also known as "Brain of Computer or electronic brain and also called

a microchip"

• CPU Performs computing calculation and processing in a personal

computer.

• The speed of the CPU is measured in Hertz (Hz) or Megahertz (MHz) or Flops or

MFLOPS

• MFLOPS is used to measure the speed of the CPU.

• CPU makes the Information resulting from processing available for use

• Pentium, Pentium Pro, Pentium II & III are high power microprocessor
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

ALU contains the electronic circuitry that executes all

arithmetic and logical operations on the available

data. ALU uses registers to hold the data that is being

processed

• ALUs can perform Logical operations s (AND, NOT, OR, XOR)

• ALUs can perform Arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction,

multiplication and division)

• ALUs can perform Comparison operations (=, < =, >, > =)

Registers

These are used to quickly accept, store and transfer data and instructions that

are being used immediately by the CPU. These registers are the top of the memory

hierarchy and are the fastest way for the system to manipulate data. The number

and size of registers vary from processor to processor.

Control Unit (CU)

• It tells the rest of the computer how to carry out a program’s instructions .

• CU coordinates with the input and output devices of a computer

• It directs the computer to carry out stored program instructions by

 communicating with the ALU and the registers.

• The basic function of control unit is to fetch the instruction stored in the

main memory, identify the operations and the devices involved in it and

accordingly generate control signals.

• It is known as nerve center of the computer

• It regulates the flow of information across the processor.

Microprocessor

• It is the controlling element in a computer system and is sometimes

referred to as the chip.

• Microprocessor is the main hardware that drives the computer. It is a large

Printed Circuit Board (PCB), which is used in all electronic systems such as

computer, calculator, digital system, etc.

• The speed of CPU depends upon the type of microprocessor used.

• Intel 4004 was the first microprocessor made by Intel in 1971 by scientist Ted

Hoff and engineer Frederico Faggin.

• Some of the popular microprocessors are Intel, Intel core i7, Dual core,

Pentium IV, etc.

Memory Unit

• Memory is directly interacts with CPU.

• CPU coordinates with main memory

• Memory Access is the time taken by the CPU to access a location in memory

• It has primary memory (main memory) and secondary memory (auxiliary

memory).

Cache memory is located in the CPU. Cache memory is also known as Central

Processing Unit. A region of computer memory where frequently accessed data

can be stored for rapid access is called Cache

Motherboard

• The main circuit board contained in any computer is called a motherboard.

 • It is also known as the main board or logic board or system board or planar

board.

• All the other electronic devices and circuits of computer system are

attached to this board like, CPU, ROM , RAM, expansion slots, PCI slots and

USB ports.

• It also includes controllers for devices like the hard drive, DVD drive,

keyboard and mouse.

• In other words, motherboard makes everything in a computer work

together

Components on Motherboard

(i) CMOS Battery (ii) BIOS Chip (iii) Fan (iv) Expansion Slot (v) SMPS (vi) PCI Slot

(vii) Processor Chip (viii) Buses

The number of cycles CPU executes per second, measured in Giga Hertz

Buses are used to send control signals and data between the processor and

other components.

• Internal Bus The internal bus connects components inside the motherboard

like CPU and system memory. It is also called the system bus

• External Bus It connects the different external devices; peripherals,

 expansion slots, I/O ports and drive connections to the rest of computer. It is

also referred to as the expansion bus.

Register:

• Registers are a type of computer memory used to quickly accept, store, and

transfer data and instructions that are being used temporarily by the CPU.

• Register stores the data in the form of bits. Register is high speed storage

inside ALU part of the CPU.

• The act of writing new data to the register erases the first contents of the

register.

• Register is the integral and important part of the CPU.

Instruction Cycle
 • Fetch → Fetch involves retrieving
an instruction (which is represented
by a number or sequence of
numbers) from program memory.

• Decode → The instruction that the

CPU fetches from memory
determines what the CPU will do.

• Execute → After the fetch and

decode steps, the execute step is
performed. Depending on the CPU
architecture, this may consist of a
single action or a sequence of
actions.

Machine cycle is defined by the time, that takes to fetch two operands from
registers and performs ALU operation and stores the result in a register.

Pipelining improves execution speed by putting the execution steps of several

instructions into parallel. It is called implement instruction prefetch.

Sockets are the connecting points of chip on the motherboard.

Q.1. The basic function (s) performed by computer is/are

a) data processing

b) data storage

c) data movement

d) data control

e) All of these

Q.2. Which of the following is a part of the central processing unit of a

computer?

(a) Mouse

(b) Scanner

(c) Memory registers

(d) Joystick

Q.3. Which of the following is NOT a computer component?

(a) Memory

(b) Paper

(c) CPU

(d) ALU
Q.4. Which is called the brain of any computer system?

(a) Monitor

(b) ALU

(c) CPU

(d) UPS

Q.5. Which of the following is a single chip based device that is a complete
processor in itself and is capable of performing arithmetic and logical
operations.

(a) Operating System

(b) Modem

(c) Microprocessor

(d) Multiprocessing

Q.6. Where is the cache memory located?

(a) CPU

(b) RAM

(c) CU

(d) Monitor
Q.7. Which instruction is used for loading data into CPU accumulator register
from memory?

a) Load

b) Storage

c) Machine

d) Access

Q.8. CPU is fabricated as a single integrated circuit which is known as

a) Motherboard

b) Microprocessor

c) ALU

d) CU

Q.9. Which part of a CPU coordinates all the functions of a computer?

(a) Motherboard

(b) Keyboard

(c) Control unit

(d) Mouse

Q.10. What does ALU in computing denote?

a) Application and Logic Unit

b) Algorithm Logic Unit

c) Arithmetic Layered Unit

d) Arithmetic Legal Unit

e) Arithmetic Logic Unit

Q.11. The speed of a CPU can be measured in ________.

(a) horsepower

(b) Bits per second (Bps)

(c) Megahertz (MHz)

(d) Lux

Q.12. Processors contain a control unit and a/an :

a) Control unit

b) Primary storage unit

c) Input unit

d) Arithmetic logic unit

Q.13. _________ is a hardware device generally located on the motherboard of a

computer and acts as an internal memory of the CPU.

(a) DVD- ROM

(b) Floppy

(c) CD- ROM

(d) RAM
Q.14. Who invent the first microprocessor?

a) Vint Cerf

b) Terence Percival

c) John Mauchly

d) Ted Hoff

Q.15. The speed of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) is measured in_________,
which represents a CPU cycle.

(a) Gigabyte (GB)

(b) Hertz (Hz)

(c) Terabyte (TB)

(d) Kilobyte (KB)

Q16. CPU retrieves its data and instructions from

a) secondary memory

b) auxiliary memory

c) main memory

d) All of these
Q.17. Pipeline strategy is called implement

a) instruction execution
b) instruction prefetch
c) instruction decoding
d) instruction manipulation

Q.18. On the motherboard, the connection points for chips are referred
to as
a) slots
b) sockets
c) ports
d) lines

Q.19.________ s the process of carrying out commands.

a) Fetching
b) Storing
c) Decoding
d) Executing

Q.20. What is the full form of DMA?

a) Direct Memory Access
b) Dynamic Memory Access
c) Direct Metho Access
d) Double Memory Access