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Microprocessor or CPU

A microprocessor, or CPU, is a silicon chip that acts as the central computation engine of a computer, managing operations and communicating with all devices. Key components of the CPU include the Control Unit, Arithmetic Logic Unit, and Registers, which perform essential functions like fetching, decoding, executing instructions, and storing results. The speed of the CPU is measured in MHz or GHz, with various applications beyond computers, including electronics like microwaves and cell phones.

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21 views

Microprocessor or CPU

A microprocessor, or CPU, is a silicon chip that acts as the central computation engine of a computer, managing operations and communicating with all devices. Key components of the CPU include the Control Unit, Arithmetic Logic Unit, and Registers, which perform essential functions like fetching, decoding, executing instructions, and storing results. The speed of the CPU is measured in MHz or GHz, with various applications beyond computers, including electronics like microwaves and cell phones.

Uploaded by

hyman12us
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Microprocessor

or
Central Processing
Unit (CPU)
AMD Athlon CPU

A Laptop’s CPU

Pins on the bottom


of a desktop
computer’s CPU

CPU being placed in its slot on


A multi-core processor in a cell phone a motherboard
A microprocessor, also known
as the CPU – Central Processing
Unit, or processor, is a
complete computation engine
fabricated on a silicon chip.
The CPU interprets and carries out
basic instructions that operate a
computer. Therefore, the CPU manages
most of a computer’s operations. All
devices, for example; keyboard,
mouse, monitor and others, must
communicate with the CPU in order to
do their work.
Diagram of the CPU and other computer
components
The CPU speed is measured in Megahertz
(MHz) or Gigahertz (GHz), so the higher the
number of MHz, the faster the processing
speed. Examples of CPU’s today include the
Intel Pentium Core i7, Apple G4, and AMD
Athlon.

Microprocessors are not only used in


computers, but also in other electronics
such as a microwave, digital watch, musical
post card, cell phones, and other devices.
Parts of the CPU include:

► Control Unit (CU)


► Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
► Registers
Control Unit
The Control Unit is a component of the CPU that directs
and coordinates most of the operations in the
CPU/computer. Under the direction of a program, the
Control Unit manages four basic operations:

o Fetch : Getting the next program instruction from the


computer’s memory.
o Decode : Figuring out what the program is telling the
computer to do.
o Execute : Performing the requested action, such as adding
two numbers or deciding which one of them is larger.
o Store or Write-back : writing the results to an internal
registers (a temporary storage location) or to memory.
Functions of the Control Unit are:

► Reads and interpret programs instructions


► Controls input and output devices
► Controls the passing of data to the
Arithmetic Logic Unit for computation
► Controls the fetching of instruction from
memory
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
The ALU is the component of the CPU that
performs computations. Therefore, functions
of the Arithmetic Logic Unit are:
► Performs arithmetic operations
(computations) such as addition,
subtraction, multiplication and division.
► Performs comparisons, such as which
number is greater or smaller than the
other.
Registers
Registers are high-speed storage locations, in
a CPU, that temporarily stores data and
instructions. The registers are called the
“work horses” of the CPU.

A bus is the circuit that provides a path for


transmission of data/information between the
components of the CPU.
The
Machine Cycle
The Machine Cycle is the cycle of
operations performed by the processor
to process a single instruction. The
speed of the processor is measured by
how long it takes to complete a
machine cycle (clock speed, measured
in hertz).
The Machine Cycle is made up of the
Instruction time (I-time) and
Execution time (E-time). The I-time is
made up of fetch and decode, while
the E-time is made up of execution
and storage of results into memory.
Remember, all of these operations are
coordinated by the control unit.
References
► Baker, J. (2003). Fundamentals of Information Technology.
Book 1. 2nd Edition.
► Birbal, R. & Taylor, M (2009). Log on to IT. Carlong
Publishers (Caribbean) Limited
► Collins-Robinson, S. (2003). Fundamentals of Information
Technology. Book 2. 2nd Edition.
► Vermaat, M. E., Sebok, S. L, et. al. (2016). Discovering
Computers. 1st Edition. Shelly Cashman Series

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