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Chapter 2

The document discusses the central processing unit (CPU) and computer memory. It describes the CPU as having an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), control unit, and registers that work together. The ALU performs arithmetic and logical operations. Registers are temporary storage and the control unit directs operations. Primary memory includes volatile RAM and non-volatile ROM. Secondary storage includes hard disks for permanent storage.

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Ramya Ramamurthy
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58 views15 pages

Chapter 2

The document discusses the central processing unit (CPU) and computer memory. It describes the CPU as having an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), control unit, and registers that work together. The ALU performs arithmetic and logical operations. Registers are temporary storage and the control unit directs operations. Primary memory includes volatile RAM and non-volatile ROM. Secondary storage includes hard disks for permanent storage.

Uploaded by

Ramya Ramamurthy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COMPUTER ORGANIZATION AND

ARCHITECHTURE

Central Processing Unit (CPU)


 The central processing unit (CPU) is referred to as the brain of a computer
system and it converts data (input) into meaningful information (output).
 It controls all the internal and external devices, performs arithmetic and logic
operations, and operates only on binary data, that is, data composed of 1s and
0s.
 The CPU consists of three main subsystems, the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU),
the control unit (CU), and the registers. The three subsystems work together
to provide operational capabilities to a computer.
Central Processing Unit (Contd.)
 Arithmetic/Logic Unit (ALU)
ALU contains the electronic circuitry that executes all arithmetic and logical
operations on the data made available to it. ALU comprises two units:
 Arithmetic Unit (AU): It is responsible for carrying out arithmetic
calculations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
 Logic Unit (CU): It enables the CPU to make logical operations based
on the instructions provided to it.

 Registers
Registers are the temporary storage areas for holding various types of
information such as data, instructions, addresses, and the intermediate
results of calculations. Registers can be thought of as CPU’s working
memory, a special additional storage location that offers the advantage
of speed.
Central Processing Unit (Contd.)
 Control Unit (CU)
The control unit of the CPU contains circuitry that uses electrical
signals to direct the entire computer system to carry out, or execute,
stored program instructions.
 Main Memory Unit
Memory is that part of the computer that holds data and instructions
for processing. The CPU accesses the main memory in random
manner, that is, the CPU can access any location of this memory to
either read information from it or store information in it. The primary
memory is of two types: The first is called Random Access Memory
(RAM) and the second is Read Only Memory (ROM).

 Cache Memory
The cache is a very high speed, expensive piece of memory, which is
used to speed up the memory retrieval process. The idea of introducing
cache is that this extremely fast memory would store data that is
frequently accessed and if possible, the data that is around it. This is to
achieve the quickest possible response time to the CPU. Cache memory
can be categorised into three levels: L1 cache, L2 cache, and L3 cache.
Computer Memory and Storage
 Computer memory refers to the electronic holding place for
instructions and data where the processor can reach quickly. It can be
classified into two broad categories: primary memory (to process the
data and hold the intermediate results) and secondary memory (to
store the output).
 The primary memory allows the computer to store data for immediate
manipulation and to keep track of what is currently being processed. It
is volatile.
 To store the data permanently, a computer requires some non-volatile
storage medium like hard disk. This kind of storage is known as
secondary memory. It is non-volatile. Such memories store all the data
(files) and instructions (computer programs) even after the power is
turned off.
 When we talk about memory, we generally refer to the primary
memory only, and when we talk about storage, secondary memory is
referred.
 Various units used to measure computer memory are as follows:
 Bit: It is smallest unit of data and can hold only one of two
values: 0 or 1.
 Byte: A unit of eight bits is known as a byte.
 Kilobyte: A kilobyte is equal to 1024 bytes.
 Megabyte: It comprises 1024 kilobyte and is the standard
unit of measurement for RAM.
 Gigabyte: It consists of 1024 megabytes and is the
standard unit of measurement for hard disks.
 Terabyte: It refers to 1024 gigabytes and is usually
associated with super computers only.
Memory Hierarchy
Random Access Memory (RAM)
RAM allows the computer to store data for
immediate manipulation and to keep track of what is
currently being processed.
 It is the place in a computer where the operating
system, application programs, and data in current
use are kept so that they can be accessed quickly by
the computer’s processor.

 RAM is much faster to read from and write to than


the other kinds of storage in a computer like the
hard disk.
TYPES OF RAM

 Static RAM (SRAM)- Memory retains its contents as long as


power is being supplied. It is very fast but much more expensive
than DRAM. Used as cache due to its high speed.

 Dynamic RAM (DRAM) – it is very unstable. The data continue


to move in and out of the memory as long as power is available. It
is inexpensive.
Read Only Memory (ROM)
 ROM is non-volatile in nature, that is, its contents are not lost
when the power is switched off.
 The data and instructions stored in ROM can only be read but
cannot be altered thereby making ROM much safer and secure
than RAM.
 ROM performs the necessary BIOS (Basic Input Output
System) function.
 ROM comes in following varieties:
 Masked ROM
 Programmable ROM (PROM)
 Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM)
 Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM)
 Flash ROM
Secondary Storage Devices
• Also known as external memory or auxiliary storage
• Not directly accessible by the CPU
• Holds data even after the power is switched off
• Cheaper than primary memory and can be used to store large
amounts of data

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