CPUs and Buses

Go to the following web site and answer these questions regarding CPUs. http://computer.howstuffworks.com/microprocessor1.htm

1. What are the units for the CPU clock speed?________________________________________
2. Why do some processors have two values for the Data Width?
   
   
   
3. Click Next until you get to the RAM and ROM page. Write down the definition of each:
   ROM
   
   
   RAM

4. What is another name for ROM?________________________________________
5. What information is stored in ROM?
   
   
   
   

The following link discusses the PCI bus but it has a good diagram of how and where the CPU gets information from. Howstuffworks "How PCI Works"

1. What is the function of the System Bus or Local Bus?
   
   
   
   
2. The “other” buses referred to in this article (ISA and PCI) are often referred to as the I/O Bus. I/O stands for Input (sending information to the CPU) and Output (sending information from the CPU to some other device). What device connects the I/O bus with the system bus?
   
   
   
3. The system bus is broken down into two parts. List each part and explain what it is responsible for.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Make a quick sketch of the diagram provided and label the following components:
   CPU, L1 Cache, L2 Cache, RAM, Bridge, Frontside bus, backside bus, I/O Bus (ISA & PCI)
   
   

Click on the Level 2 Cache link. Click next and read “A Simple Example” for caching.

1. In this example what represented the Level 1 Cache?
   
   
   
2. What represented Level 2 Cache?
   
   

3. Click to the next page and copy down the descriptions given for:

L1 Cache


L2 Cache

Main Memory (RAM)

Extra Credit: Click to the next link, Cache Technology and explain the point of this page.