1. Define and explain control unit (CU)
The Control Unit is a component of a computer's central processing unit (CPU) that directs the operation of the processor. It manages the execution of instructions by fetching them from memory, decoding them, and then executing them by coordinating the actions of the ALU, registers, and other components.
2. Define and explain the arithmetic logic unit
The ALU is a critical part of the CPU responsible for performing arithmetic operations (like addition and subtraction) and logic operations (such as comparison and bitwise operations). It is where most calculations take place.
3. How does data travel along a bus?
Data travels along a bus as electrical signals. A bus is a set of parallel wires connecting different parts of a computer, allowing data to be transferred between components. Each wire in the bus can carry one bit, so a 32-bit bus can transfer 32 bits of data simultaneously.
4. What is machine cycle / clock cycle?
A machine cycle or clock cycle is the fundamental unit of time measured by a computer's clock, during which the CPU can complete a basic operation such as fetching an instruction, reading from or writing to a memory location. The speed of a CPU is often measured by the number of cycles it can perform in a second (Hertz).
5. What are the different flags used by Assembly instructions?
Assembly instructions use various flags within a status register to indicate the outcome of operations or the state of the processor.
Common flags include the Zero Flag (indicating the result of an operation is zero),
Carry Flag (indicating an arithmetic carry or borrow),
Sign Flag (indicating the sign of the result), and
Overflow Flag (indicating arithmetic overflow).
6. What is the MMX register and the floating-point unit?
MMX registers are used in SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) operations for multimedia tasks, enhancing the performance of multimedia applications. The Floating-Point Unit (FPU), also known as a math coprocessor, handles operations on floating-point numbers.
7. What are interrupts?
Interrupts are signals sent to the CPU by external devices or software indicating an event that needs immediate attention. They temporarily halt the current CPU operations to address the interrupt, allowing for responsive and efficient handling of events like I/O operations.
8. What is Real-address mode?
also known as real mode, is an operating mode of x86-compatible CPUs, where the CPU accesses physical memory directly without any form of memory protection or advanced memory management, as was typical in early PC operating systems.
9. What is the Basic Input-Output System?
The BIOS is firmware used to perform hardware initialization during the booting process and to provide runtime services for operating systems and programs. It acts as an intermediary between the computer's hardware and the operating system.