Architecture of a Computer
Architecture of a Computer The architecture or structure of a computer is as shown below: The essential hardware components of a computer are: 1) CPU (Central Processing Unit) 2) Memory 3) I/O (Input/Output) Devices Central Processing Unit (CPU): The CPU is the core hardware component of a computer. It is responsible for executing instructions such as arithmetic calculations, comparisons among data and movement of data inside the system. The Central Processing Unit mainly consists of two components: 1) Arithmetic Logical Unit (ALU) and 2) Control Unit (CU). Arithmetic Logical Unit: The ALU performs arithmetic and logical operations on the data based on the instructions stored in the memory. Control Unit: The Control Unit (CU) coordinates the system components, like transfer of data between the components, timing etc. Memory: Memory is the place where the programs and data are stored temporarily during processing. There are two types