Role of the CPU
The CPU processes data by fetching instructions from the memory, decoding the instructions and executing the instructions. It also controls all the component parts of a computer. E.g hard disk.
Where is it located
Motherboard
The main parts of a CPU
- Control Unit
- Arithmetic Logic Unit(ALU)
- Registers
Control Unit
It co-ordinates the sequence of data movements.
It controls data flow in the CPU.
It tells the memory and ALU how to respond to the instructions.
Arithmetic Logic Unit
A unit in a computer which carries out arithmetic and logical functions.
The arithmetic part does mathematical operations.
The logic part deals with logic and comparisons.
Registers
A fast and small, special type of memory in the CPU. They are used to temporarily store data, while a software program is running.
Cache
It is an extremely fast type of ram in the CPU.
CPU clock
A tiny crystal quartz inside the CPU that ticks while the CPU processes instructions. It is measured in Gigahertz (GHz).