Digital Systems and CPU Concepts

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Definition of a digital system

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A digital system is a combination of digital hardware and software components that work together to transform data into a digital solution.

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Components of a digital system

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1. Hardware components: processors, memory (like silicon chips) 2. Input devices: keyboard, mouse, camera 3. Output devices: screen, speakers, printer 4. Communication components: wi-fi, bluetooth 5. Software components: programs, apps, and operating systems 6. Networks: when digital systems are connected together

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Function of a CPU

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CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. It connects to other components on the motherboard and carries data around the motherboard.

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Moore's Law

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According to Moore's Law, every two years the number of transistors normally doubles, meaning processing power also doubles every two years.

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Stages of Fetch-Decode-Execute

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1. Fetch: Fetching the instruction from cache memory. 2. Decode: Translating the instruction into machine code or binary. 3. Execute: Carrying out the instruction, such as fetching information from memory or performing calculations.

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Purpose of cache memory

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Cache memory stores the most frequent instructions the CPU is likely to use, saving time by preventing the CPU from fetching these instructions from RAM or secondary memory.

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Role of a heat sink

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A heat sink is a large metal object that conducts heat away from the CPU.

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Clock speed measurement

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Clock speed is measured in hertz, most commonly megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). A 2 GHz speed can perform two billion fetch execute cycles in one second.

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Factors affecting CPU performance

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The three things that can affect CPU performance are clock speed, cache size, and cores.

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Impact of more CPU cores

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Having more cores improves performance because each core can process instructions simultaneously, increasing the overall processing capability.