O C

controls the communication between

the input and output
processes

Improving computer performance

Boostsspeedofthecomputereputer
-
Program counter
RAM
Address bus
Memory unit
 33

I
1

1 a Name three buses used in the von Neumann architecture.

Address bus
i………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

data bus
ii………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
control bus
ii………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

b Describe the function of each named bus.

Address bus
carries addresses throughout
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
-

the computer system.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 -
Data bus allows exchange of data
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

between processor, memory and

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… input/output
devices
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

↑Controlbus carriessignalfeatures
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
components.
c Describe how bus width and clock speed can affect computer performance.
-

wider address and databuses

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
would
increase computer performance
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
~
wider control
bus would have little to
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

no effect on the performance

of the
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

computer.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

-Higher clock speed increases

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
processor
speed
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2 Complete the following paragraph by using terms from this chapter:

fetches
The CPU ………………… data and instructions required for an application

CIR
and temporarily stores them in the ……………………. until they can be

PC
processed. The ………………………… is used to hold the address of the next

MAR
instruction to be executed. This address is copied to the …………………………

Address bus
using the …………………………… The contents at this address are stored

MDR decoded
in the ………………………….. Each instruction is then ………………………….

executed control signal

and finally …………………….. by sending out …………………………. using the
 control bus
……………………………………… Any calculations carried out are done using the
ALU
……………………………………. During any calculations, data is temporarily held in a

ACC
special purpose register known as the ………………………………….

3
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Control bus
-Address bus
Databus
-

I I I I O
I -

I O 10 O I I I

10000 100

I 1001 10
 current instruction stores the current
register instruction being
decoded and executed

Memory Address stores the address

Register of the memory
location
read or
currently
being
written to
data which
Memoryat are stones
have just been
read from memory or

data
Program counter stores the address
where the next
instruction to be
read can be found

Used to
produce timing signals
on the control bus
I

m prove CPU performance. It stores

frequently used instructionsfaster.
and data
that need to be accessed
-

Processing speed of the computer

would be increased
-Overclocking can lead to serious
overheating of COU and lead to
unreliable performance