The CPU is the brain of the computer. It carries out simple instructions very quickly through a fetch-execute cycle. The CPU contains a control unit, arithmetic logic unit (ALU), and clock connected by buses. It fetches instructions from memory, decodes them, executes them using the ALU, and saves results back to memory. The CPU works through billions of fetch-execute cycles per second to power complex tasks like gaming. RAM allows for fast access but is volatile, while storage like hard disks maintain data when the computer is off but provide slower access.
The CPU is the brain of the computer. It carries out simple instructions very quickly through a fetch-execute cycle. The CPU contains a control unit, arithmetic logic unit (ALU), and clock connected by buses. It fetches instructions from memory, decodes them, executes them using the ALU, and saves results back to memory. The CPU works through billions of fetch-execute cycles per second to power complex tasks like gaming. RAM allows for fast access but is volatile, while storage like hard disks maintain data when the computer is off but provide slower access.
The CPU is the brain of the computer. It carries out simple instructions very quickly through a fetch-execute cycle. The CPU contains a control unit, arithmetic logic unit (ALU), and clock connected by buses. It fetches instructions from memory, decodes them, executes them using the ALU, and saves results back to memory. The CPU works through billions of fetch-execute cycles per second to power complex tasks like gaming. RAM allows for fast access but is volatile, while storage like hard disks maintain data when the computer is off but provide slower access.
The CPU is the brain of the computer. It carries out simple instructions very quickly through a fetch-execute cycle. The CPU contains a control unit, arithmetic logic unit (ALU), and clock connected by buses. It fetches instructions from memory, decodes them, executes them using the ALU, and saves results back to memory. The CPU works through billions of fetch-execute cycles per second to power complex tasks like gaming. RAM allows for fast access but is volatile, while storage like hard disks maintain data when the computer is off but provide slower access.
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Ict notes
CPU is the brain of the computer
A computer system is a set of equipment that works together to help you do useful work Input → processor → output → storage
The processor
At the Centre of a computer, system is a processor. The processor does all the work in a computer system a processor is small enough to fit on your fingertip modern processor are so tiny they called microprocessors
Part of the CPU
The control unit (cu) manages the work done by cpu when an instruction arrives at the cpu it goes to the cu the cu works out what instruction means the cu makes sure that the other parts cpu do the work necessary to carry out the instructions .
The arithmetic and logic unit (alu) does all the calculations in the CPU. The cu sends the instructions to the alu and it carries out the instructions this is similar to using a spreadsheet to do your calculations.
The clocks sends out regular electric pulses just like the tick of a clock. A clock at home tick every second. The clock in a computer CPU ticks around 3billion times every second every time the CPU clock ticks the control units sends an instruction to the alu
Buses
Connected called buses join the three parts of a CPU together. Buses are high speed connected that carry data around inside the CPU
How the CPU works
Think about the last time you played a game or watched a video on a computer. The screen is full of color the images are lifelike and object move just as they do in the real world. If you are playing a video game you can give instruction through a joystick or game controller. High quality audio is being played in the background while you play. It easy to think that CPU must be doing complicated things .the CPU can only perform very simple instruction it performs these simple instruction very quickly 3 billion time per seconds
The fetch execute cycle
The CPU is the part of the computer that comes out instruction it is made up of control unit the alu and clock all connected by buses the computer memory is sometimes called the ram
What happens inside the ram?
The memory hold:
The instructions that tell the computer what to do
The data values that the computer needs. When the cpu has completed an instruction it sends the result back to memory
How does the memory work?
Memory is made of microscopic electrical circuits the circuits can be on or off
Everything inside the memory is stored using these on/off signals The on/off signals can be shown as 1and 0 in binary
Memory and storage
Data is stored memory as electrical signals
All data is lost if the electricity is turned off this is why must save your work before you turn the computer off Your work is copied from the memory to storage whenever you save your work o examples a) The hard disk of a computer b) A flash memory drive c) The storage of a school network d) Cloud storage on the internet
Advantages and disadvantages of ram and storage
Advantages ram Disadvantages
Ram is very close to the cpu the cpu can get The disadvantages of ram is that its contents data and instructions from ram easily and are lost when the computer is switched off quickly
Advantages storage Disadvantages
The advantages of the secondary storage is it Secondary storage is further away from the can keep data and instructions safe when the cpu it takes longer for the cpu to get data computer is turned off and instructions from secondary storage The fetch execute cycle
The cpu carries out instructions million or even billions of times a second it follows these steps anytime it carries out instruction
Fetch –The control unit fetches the instruction from the ram the instructions travels down the bus from ram to the control unit
Decode –The instruction is in the form of binary number code the control unit knowns all the binary number codes the control unit decodes the instruction so it knowns what to do
Execute –The control unit sends a signal to the alu to tell it what to do the alu carries out the instruction execute means carry out an instruction
Save- if the instruction produces a result then the alu send the result back to the ram
Worked example
Here is a single commend written in python
To the carry this instruction the computer must complete at least one fetch execute cycle
Fetch :the control unit fetch the instruction add and the data values from ram
Decode :The control unit decodes the instruction and sends a signial to the alu telling it to add the numbers
Execute The alu carries out the instruction and adds the two numbers together
save the alu sends the result of the additions back to the ram the result saved in a memory location with the label answer
Computer speed
Ram
If a computer has lots of ram all the data and instructions can fit into the computer memory. The cpu can quickly get instruction and the computer will go quickly
If a computer has less memory all the data and instruction won’t fit into the memory some will have to stored in storage this makes the computer run slowly run since it takes a longer time for the cpu to get the instruction from the storage
Cache size The CPU has small amount of memory known as cache it is very quick for the cpu to get data and instruction from cache
If a computer has a big cache then it will be able to get data and instruction quickly
Word size
The amount of data a computer can fetch and use in one cycle is called the word size
A computer with a large word size generally work more quickly, the buses are larger so they can carry more
