OCR A Level CS - 1.1.1 Structure and Function of the Processor

What is the purpose of the Program Counter (PC) in a processor?

• Stores the results from calculations

• Holds the address of the next instruction to be executed

• Holds the address of a location that is to be read from or written to

• Holds the current instruction being executed, divided up into operand and opcode

Which bus is used to transmit the memory addresses specifying where data is to be sent to or retrieved from?

• Data Bus

• Address Bus

• Control Bus

• System Bus

What is the purpose of pipelining in a processor?

• To decrease the number of cores in the CPU

• To increase the clock speed of the CPU

• To reduce the amount of the CPU which is kept idle

• To improve the cache memory of the CPU

What factor affects CPU performance by determining the time taken for one clock cycle to complete?

• Bus request

• Clock speed

• Amount and type of Cache Memory

• Number of cores

Which architecture includes physically separate memories for instructions and data?

• Harvard Architecture

• Von Neumann Architecture

• Shared Memory Architecture

• Contemporary Processing

What is the purpose of the Control Unit in a processor?

• Carries out all the arithmetical and logical operations

• Directs the operations of the CPU

• Used to transmit control signals between internal and external components

• Temporarily stores data and all arithmetic, logical and shift operations occur

Which bus is used for transporting data and instructions between components in a CPU?

• System Bus

• Data Bus

• Address Bus

• Control Bus

What is the purpose of the Memory Data Register (MDR) in a processor?

• Stores the results from calculations

• Temporarily stores data that has been read or data that needs to be written

• Holds the current instruction being executed, divided up into operand and opcode

• Holds the address of the next instruction to be executed

What is the effect of the Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle on registers in a processor?

• Splits the contents of the Current Instruction Register (CIR) into operand and opcode

• Copies the value held in the Memory Data Register (MDR) to the Current Instruction Register (CIR)

• Copies the address from the PC to the Memory Address Register (MAR)

• Increases the value held in the Program Counter (PC)

What is the purpose of the Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) in a processor?

• Used to transmit control signals between internal and external components

• Stores the results from calculations

• Carries out all the arithmetical and logical operations

• Directs the operations of the CPU