Computer Architecture: Von Neumann Model

What role does the Control Unit play in the Von Neumann architecture?

Which component of the Von Neumann architecture is responsible for performing arithmetic and logical operations?

During the fetch phase of the fetch-decode-execute cycle, what is the first action taken?

What does the Memory Data Register (MDR) hold?

What is the function of the Program Counter (PC) in the Von Neumann architecture?

Which statement about registers is correct in the context of the Von Neumann architecture?

What is the purpose of the decode phase in the fetch-decode-execute cycle?

In which way does the Von Neumann architecture primarily differ from the Harvard architecture?

Von Neumann Architecture

All modern CPUs are based on Von Neumann architecture
This involves a single memory space for both instructions and data
Components include:
- Control Unit
- Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
- Main Memory (RAM/ROM)
- Registers
- Program Counter (PC)
- Memory Address Register (MAR)
- Memory Data Register (MDR)

Instruction Cycle (Fetch-Decode-Execute)

Fetch:
- The PC holds the address of the next instruction
- The address in the PC is copied to the MAR
- The instruction at that memory location is copied to the MDR
- The PC is incremented to point to the next instruction
Decode:
- The instruction in the MDR is decoded by the control unit
- The control unit identifies the operation and the operands needed
Execute:
- The ALU performs the specified operation on the operands
- The result is stored in a register or memory location
The cycle repeats continuously

Data Registers and Buses

Registers: Small, high-speed storage locations within the CPU
Buses: Transfer data between components
- Address bus: Carries the address of the memory location
- Data bus: Carries the data itself
The ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) performs calculations and boolean operations(+,-,*,÷, logical operations)
The result is then copied to the location determined by the MAR.

Explore the fundamentals of the Von Neumann architecture, which is the basis for all modern CPUs. Understand the instruction cycle including fetch, decode, and execute phases, as well as the key components like the Control Unit and ALU. This quiz will test your knowledge of how data and instructions interact within a computer.