CPU & Von Neumann Architecture
What is the ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)?
This component of the CPU is the "calculator" and handles mathematical operations.
This type of memory is volatile and stores instructions/data for currently running programs.
RAM
Two factors that improve CPU performance.
Clock speed and cache size
The laser in optical storage reads these gaps between pits.
Lands
A computer designed for a specific task, like a coffee maker.
Embedded System
The design that stores instructions and data in memory as binary digits is named after this person.
John von Neumann
The three types of secondary storage devices.
Solid-state, optical, and magnetic.
What is quad-core?
The term for a processor with four cores.
This type of storage uses magnetized platters and a read/write head.
Magnetic Storage
What is an operating system (OS)?
The software that manages hardware-software interactions.
What is the Program Counter (PC)?
A register that holds the memory address of the next instruction to be fetched.
This non-volatile memory stores boot instructions and cannot be rewritten.
ROM
What are cores?
A cores are capable of running its own fetch-decode-execute cycle.
The binary representation of a "pit" in optical storage.
0
Two examples of general-purpose computers.
Hint: You may have them with you right now.
Laptops and Smartphones
What are buses?
Parallel wires that transport data between CPU components and memory.
What is volatile memory?
This term describes memory that loses data when power is turned off.
If you upgrade from a 2-core to a 4-core processor, why might some programs not run twice as fast?
1. Because not all programs can use multiple cores efficiently
2. Because the program might not be designed to split its work across cores
Which type of storage have slow read speeds and/or easily scratched?
Optical Storage
The role of the OS in "memory management."
Controlling where data is stored in RAM
What is gigahertz (GHz)?
The measurement of a CPU's clock speed.
Two reasons why secondary storage is needed despite having RAM.
RAM is volatile (loses data when powered off).
Secondary storage has larger capacity and is cheaper for long-term use.
Accept any valid answer
For editing 4K videos, you’d prioritize these two hardware upgrades over others.
CPU cores (for rendering) and RAM (for large file handling)
The term for optical discs that can be written once
Write-once (R)
The first program loaded during startup, stored in ROM.
The BIOS