Term
| What is the purpose of the cpu? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Central Processing Unit. Also known as a processor or microprocessor, the CPU is the brains of a computer. It’s responsible for executing computer instructions, and is one of the most important elements in a computer. |
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Term
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Definition
Also called clock rate, the speed at which a microprocessor executes instructions. Every computer contains an internal clock that regulates the rate at which instructions are executed and synchronizes all the various computer components. The CPU requires a fixed number of clock ticks (or clock cycles) to execute each instruction. The faster the clock, the more instructions the CPU can execute per second.
Clock speeds are expressed in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz ((GHz) |
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Term
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Definition
| Forcing a CPU to run at a higher clock speed than listed on the manufacturers specification. Overclocking a CPU increases its performance, although it can result in system instability and may cause damage to the CPU. |
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Term
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Definition
This is a buffer of memory in the processor that is used
to store copies of items that are most often fetched from
the memory, so that they can be fetched more quickly. |
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Term
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Definition
A technology for storing data in an electronic format
which is used for memory cards. |
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Term
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Definition
Memory that can be addressed and accessed directly by
the processor. |
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Term
What is Random Access Memory
(RAM) |
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Definition
Memory that is used to store the programs and data
currently in use by a computer. It is volatile, which means
that it gets erased when the computer is switched off. |
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Term
What is Read-Only Memory
(ROM) |
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Definition
Memory that is used to store programs permanently
and in the same location, such as the boot-up program.
This memory is non-volatile and is not deleted when the
computer is switched off. |
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Term
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Definition
This is an area of the hard disk that is used to store
running programs as if it was RAM. |
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