Components of the CPU (Cambridge (CIE) A Level Computer Science) : Revision Note
Components of the CPU
What is the CPU?
The CPU is responsible for processing all data within the computer
It is made up of a number of components including:
Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)
Control Unit (CU)
System clock
Immediate Access Store (IAS)
Buses
Component | Full name | Purpose / function |
|---|---|---|
ALU | Arithmetic Logic Unit | Performs calculations (e.g. add, subtract) and logic operations (e.g. AND, OR) |
CU | Control Unit | Manages and controls the execution of instructions and directs data flow |
System Clock | – | Sends out regular pulses to synchronise all CPU operations |
IAS | Immediate Access Store | Main memory where instructions and data needed by the CPU are temporarily stored |
Buses
Components within the CPU and wider computer system are connected by buses
A bus is a set of parallel wires through which data/signals are transmitted from one component to another
There are 3 types of bus:
Address - unidirectional, carries location data (addresses), data is written to/read from
Data - bidirectional, carries data or instructions
Control - bidirectional, carries commands and control signals to tell components when they should be receiving reads or writes etc..
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