Computer Cases
What is the main purpose of a computer case
To protect the internal hardware components from physical damage, dust and debris.
The timing and speed of all computer operations.
CPU
What are the four core steps of the machine cycle.
Fetch, Decode, Execute and Store.
What are registers inside a computer?
High speed storage locations located inside the CPU
Which components is commonly mounted directly to the back/side panel of the computer case using standoffs?
The motherboard
In what unit of measurement is system clock speed typically calculated?
Gigahertz.
What substance must be applied between the CPU and the heat sink to fill microscopic air gaps and improve heat faster?
Thermal paste.
During which phase of the machine cycle does the control unit retrieve an instruction from the system memory?
The fetch phase
How does the speed of a register compare to the speed of a standard RAM?
Term that describes the standardized size & layout specification of a computer case and mother board.
what physical component on the motherboard generates electrical pulses used by the system clock?
Cooling method that uses a pump, tubes, and a radiator to transfer heat away from the processor using a liquid solution.
Liquid cooling/water cooling
What does the control unit do during the "Decode" phase of the machine cycle?
It translates the fetched instruction into commands the processor can understand.
Which specific register acts as a temporary holding area that keeps track of the results of a recent ALU
The accumulator
why do computer cases have ventilation holes/fans?
To optimize airflow and maintain proper thermal management.
Single term for a basic electronic pulse generated by the system clock.
Tick/clock cycle.
Mechanism that automatically slows down or shuts off a processor if its cooling system gets too hot.
Thermal throttling
Which specific part of the processor handles the mathematical operations during the execute phase.
ALU (The Arithmetic Logic Unit)
What is the purpose of the PC register
Hold the memory address of the next instruction waiting to be fetched and executed.
Tower case
What is the practice of modifying settings to make the system clock run faster than its factory rated speed called.
Overclocking.
Name of the metal block with fins that absorbs heat directly from the processor.
Heat sink
The result of the execution phase are written back to a register or the system memory.
Which register holds the actual instruction that the proccessor is currently decoding and executing
The Instruction Register (IR)