3 CPU Architecture Free Online FlashCards

What is a CPU register?

A small, fast storage element inside the processor that holds values the CPU needs immediately, such as operands, addresses, or intermediate results.

What does a register file do?

A register file is a group of general-purpose registers that can provide selected values to the datapath and accept results to store.

What does the program counter hold?

The program counter (PC) holds the address of the next instruction to fetch.

What does the instruction register hold?

It holds an instruction that is being decoded or executed.

What information can a status or flag register record?

It records conditions such as whether a result is zero or negative. The exact flags depend on the processor architecture.

Why does a register’s width matter?

A register’s width determines the size of values it can hold and affects the size of many operations.

What is the ALU’s main role?

The ALU is a combinational circuit that performs operations on binary inputs, such as arithmetic, comparisons, and bitwise logic.

Where might a processor perform shifting operations?

Some processors include shifting in the ALU; others use a separate unit. The design determines which operations the ALU performs.

What is a bus in a computer?

A bus is a set of signal lines that carries values between processor components or between the CPU and other computer parts.

What do data, address, and control signals do?

Data signals carry values, address signals identify a memory location or device, and control signals indicate actions such as reading or writing.

What is the CPU datapath?

The datapath is the hardware and connections that move and operate on data, including registers, the ALU, and routing logic.

How does the control unit coordinate the datapath?

The control unit decodes instructions and issues signals that select registers, choose an ALU operation, and determine where results go.