Computing Hardware

Computing Hardware

1. CPU

   • Central Processing Unit
     • Contains ALU and cache memory
       • ALU - carries out arithmetic and logical operations
       • Cache memory - high speed memory
   • RAM - Random Access Memory - stores data, applications and the operating system whilst in use
   • Fetch-execute cycle - fetching instruction, decoding them and executing them
   • ROM - Read Only Memory - a store for data in a computer that cannot be overwritten. Data in ROM is always available and is not lost when the computer is turned off