Learning Objectives

• To understand the main components within a CPU and their purpose

within the Fetch-Execute cycle.
• To identify factors affecting CPU performance.
• To understand the roles and purpose of different memory and storage
types.
The CPU: Control Unit
The Control Unit coordinates all the
activities taking place inside the CPU. Its
functions are summarised as follows:
• It controls the execution of instructions
in the correct sequence
• It decodes instructions
• It regulates and controls processor timing
using regular pulses from the system
clock
• It sends and receives control signals to
and from other devices within the
computer.
The CPU: Clock
The system clock controls processor
timing, switching between zero and one
at rates exceeding several million times
per second. It synchronises all CPU
operations.
The clock frequency is the number of
clock cycles which occur each second.
One clock cycle per second = 1 Hertz
(Hz). Clock speed is measured in
Megahertz (MHz) or Gigahertz (GHz),
one billion cycles per second. E.G. A CPU
with a clock speed of 1.8GHz can carry
out 1 800 000 000 cycles per second. Overclocking is the action of increasing a
component's clock rate, running it at a
higher speed than it was designed to run.
 The purpose of this

Task: Flash-Bot!
activity is for you to
develop a comprehension
of how fast a computer
works

Meet Flash-Bot! He’s so quick he can travel as fast as 1 metre per CPU clock cycle!
The circumference of the Earth is 40,075km; calculate how many times around the
Earth Flash-Bot could travel in one second if his CPU was working at the following
clock speeds:

Speed (Hz) Answer (show your working out)

Earth Circumference (m) = 40 075 000
1.5 GHz 1.5 GHz = 1 500 000 000 / 40 075 000 = 37.4
2.8 GHz 2.8 GHz = 2 800 000 000 / 40 075 000 = 69.9
3 GHz = 3 000 000 000 / 40 075 000 = 74.9
3 GHz

Answers in the NOTES…

 The CPU: Bus
The CPU has internal connections or buses which pass
data between the components of the CPU.
As well as the ALU, Control Unit and Clock, there are
several fast memory locations called special-purpose
registers which are involved in the Fetch-Execute cycle.
Data and instructions are passed between registers
and other components along these buses. The
collection of wires or buses connecting the system
components is known collectively as the system bus.
Data bus: Carries addresses data and instruction
between main memory and the Arithmetic Logic Unit
(ALU)
Address bus: Connects the CPU to the main memory
and is used to identify specific addresses in the main
memory.
Control bus: A computer bus that is used by the CPU to
communicate with input and output devices that are
within the computer.
Task: Bus Routes
The Bus routes allow for connection and communication between the
CPU, Memory and the Input & Output devices connected. Using the
diagram, complete the table below by identifying the possible
destinations via the connection. Be careful: some possible destinations
will may not be possible!

Connection Start Possible destinations

Data Bus CPU Memory/input/output
Address Bus Memory None
Control Bus Input & Output CPU/memory
Data Bus Memory CPU/input/output
Address Bus Input & Output None
Control Bus CPU Memory/input/output
Data Bus Input & Output CPU/Memory
Address Bus CPU Memory/input/output
Control Bus Memory CPU/input/output

See NOTES for answers…

The CPU and the Fetch-Execute Cycle
When a program is run (or executed) on a computer it first has to be loaded up into main memory. From here
it can be accessed by the processor, which runs each instruction in turn. To run a program, the processor
Fetches an instruction, decodes it then executes it. The processor executes one instruction at a time. This is
known as the Fetch-Execute Cycle.

Fetch:
• The address A of the next instruction to be executed is fetched from
the register (a fast memory location within the processor) where it
is held.
• The instruction at address A is fetched from memory and put into a
special register ready to be decoded.
Decode:
• The Control Unit decodes the instruction to see what has to be
done next.
Execute:
• The instruction is executed. This could involve fetching data from
memory, storing data in RAM or jumping to another instruction in
the program, etc.
Task: The Fetch-Execute Cycle: Event location
Consider the events within the Fetch-Execute cycle. They occur within the following locations: Task: In the space
below, adapt the
Event Location
Fetch-Execute diagram
Fetch an instruction from main memory Memory (RAM / Registers) shown to include the
locations of each event
Decode the instruction Control Unit
of the cycle.
Execute the instruction Arithmetic & Logic Unit (ALU) Tip: Try using SmartArt
(see the INSERT tab)
Task: The Fetch-Execute Cycle: Event location
Consider the events within the Fetch-Execute cycle. They occur within the following locations: Task: In the space
below, adapt the
Event Location
Fetch-Execute diagram
Fetch an instruction from main memory Memory (RAM / Registers) shown to include the
locations of each event
Decode the instruction Control Unit
of the cycle.
Execute the instruction Arithmetic & Logic Unit (ALU) Tip: Try using SmartArt
(see the INSERT tab)

ALU Memory
Execu
te
Fetch

Decode

Control Unit
Factors affecting CPU Performance
Clock speed:
The greater the clock speed, the faster instructions will be executed.
A faster CPU uses more energy and creates more heat.
Remember: Clock speed is measured in Gigahertz (GHz), one billion cycles per second. E.G. A CPU with a clock speed
of 1.8GHz can carry out 1 800 000 000 cycles per second.
Slow
Less cycles per second means
less instructions can be
processed per second.
Fast
More cycles per second means
more instructions per second.

Task: Each Rob-bot has been

given a different clock speed.
Place them onto the podium
in order of speed!
Factors affecting CPU Performance
Clock speed:
The greater the clock speed, the faster instructions will be executed.
A faster CPU uses more energy and creates more heat.
Remember: Clock speed is measured in Gigahertz (GHz), one billion cycles per second. E.G. A CPU with a clock speed
of 1.8GHz can carry out 1 800 000 000 cycles per second.
Slow
Less cycles per second means
less instructions can be
processed per second.
Fast
More cycles per second means
more instructions per second.

Task: Each Rob-bot has been

given a different clock speed.
Place them onto the podium
in order of speed!
 Task: Place the following
Factors affecting CPU performance memory and storage
locations in the correct order
within the graph below:
Type & size of cache memory:
• One bottleneck that can occur is the access speed
of main memory. Reading from and writing to

Cost per byte & Access speed

Disc Storage
main memory is much slower than the speed at
(Virtual RAM, Hard Drive)
which the processor can work.
• Cache memory is an intermediary between the
main physical RAM and the CPU. The cache makes
Level 2 Cache
any data frequently used by the CPU available
much more quickly.
CPU
• Because the processor doesn’t need to access Registers
main memory as often, it can work faster,
increasing the performance of the CPU. Level 1 Cache

• There are different levels of cache:

• Level 1 cache is extremely fast (between 2-64KB) Physical RAM
• Level 2 cache is fast and (256KB-2MB) (Main Memory)
• Some CPUs also have Level 3 cache
• Cache memory is, however much more expensive. Capacity
 Task: Place the following
Factors affecting CPU performance memory and storage
locations in the correct order
within the graph below:
Type & size of cache memory:
• One bottleneck that can occur is the access speed
of main memory. Reading from and writing to

Cost per byte & Access speed

main memory is much slower than the speed at
which the processor can work.
CPU
• Cache memory is an intermediary between the
Registers
main physical RAM and the CPU. The cache makes
any data frequently used by the CPU available Level 1 Cache
much more quickly.
• Because the processor doesn’t need to access Level 2 Cache
main memory as often, it can work faster,
increasing the performance of the CPU. Physical RAM
• There are different levels of cache: (Main Memory)
• Level 1 cache is extremely fast (between 2-64KB) Disc Storage
• Level 2 cache is fast and (256KB-2MB) (Virtual RAM, Hard Drive)
• Some CPUs also have Level 3 cache
• Cache memory is, however much more expensive. Capacity
Factors affecting CPU Processor Cores No. Channels Diagram

performance
1
Processor cores:
• Today’s more complex CPUs can include more than
one core.
• A dual-core processor has two processing components
within the CPU and a quad-core has four. 1
• Multiple cores can work on different programs that
operate in parallel.
• However, doubling the number of cores will not
simply double a computer's speed. The CPU cores
have to communicate with each other through
channels, delegating tasks between the cores, then
merging them together after execution, which slows
the processor down a little.
• On the whole, a PC with a multi-core processor,
executing many tasks at the same time, will operate
6
faster than a single-core processor.
Task: Complete the table by adding the correct
number of cores and connection channels for the
different types of CPU cores. 6
Answers in the NOTES…
Factors affecting CPU Processor Cores No. Channels Diagram

performance
1 0
Processor cores:
• Today’s more complex CPUs can include more than
one core.
• A dual-core processor has two processing components
within the CPU and a quad-core has four. 2 1
• Multiple cores can work on different programs that
operate in parallel.
• However, doubling the number of cores will not
simply double a computer's speed. The CPU cores
have to communicate with each other through
3 3
channels, delegating tasks between the cores, then
merging them together after execution, which slows
the processor down a little.
• On the whole, a PC with a multi-core processor,
executing many tasks at the same time, will operate
4 6
faster than a single-core processor.
Task: Complete the table by adding the correct
number of cores and connection channels for the
different types of CPU cores. 6 15
Answers in the NOTES…
 Exam Style Questions

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Exam Style Questions

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4. Characteristic 1:

Characteristic 2:
Answers 1.
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