Computer Architecture Quizzes: Test Your Understanding

Question 1

What is the main purpose of the bus in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To transfer data between components

Answer

To store data

Answer

To process data

Answer

To control the flow of instructions

Question 2

Which of the following is a form of cache memory?

Accepted Answer

L1 cache

Answer

Main memory

Answer

Virtual memory

Answer

Secondary storage

Question 3

What is the primary function of a paging algorithm in a virtual memory system?

Accepted Answer

Determines which pages should be kept in physical memory

Answer

Translates virtual addresses to physical addresses

Answer

Manages page faults

Answer

Optimizes memory usage

Question 4

What is the primary role of a device driver in an operating system?

Accepted Answer

Facilitates communication with hardware devices

Answer

Manages memory allocation

Answer

Controls user access to resources

Answer

Schedules processes

Question 5

Which hardware component is responsible for storing data and instructions in binary format, allowing the computer to access and process them?

Accepted Answer

Memory

Answer

Processor

Answer

Input/Output devices

Answer

Bus

Question 6

In a computer architecture, what is the purpose of an address bus?

Accepted Answer

To identify the specific location of data within memory

Answer

To transfer data between the processor and other components

Answer

To regulate the flow of data to and from the processor

Answer

To provide temporary storage for data during processing

Question 7

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the classic von Neumann architecture used in computer systems?

Accepted Answer

Concurrent execution of multiple tasks

Answer

Distinct data storage and instruction memory units

Answer

Storing programs in memory for execution

Answer

A shared memory space accessible by both data and instructions

Question 8

In a computer system, what is the primary role of the control unit?

Accepted Answer

Interpreting instructions and generating control signals

Answer

Executing instructions stored in memory

Answer

Performing arithmetic and logical operations on data

Answer

Storing intermediate results during processing

Question 9

What is the primary function of a compiler in the context of computer programming?

Accepted Answer

Translating high-level programming code into low-level machine code

Answer

Executing user programs directly

Answer

Storing data and programs in memory

Answer

Managing the allocation of memory

Question 10

What is the main purpose of using a virtual machine in a computing environment?

Accepted Answer

To provide a software environment that simulates a physical machine

Answer

To enhance the speed of program execution

Answer

To store large volumes of data efficiently

Answer

To handle virtual memory management

Question 11

Which of the following is **not** a core component of the Central Processing Unit (CPU)?

Accepted Answer

Memory

Answer

Registers

Answer

Control Unit

Answer

Arithmetic Logic Unit

Question 12

Which of the following is **not** an advantage of using a multicore processor?

Accepted Answer

Lower cost

Answer

Increased performance

Answer

Improved energy efficiency

Answer

Enhanced reliability

Question 13

A key characteristic of a distributed computing system is:

Accepted Answer

Multiple interconnected computers

Answer

Shared memory architecture

Answer

Centralized processing

Answer

Rigid communication protocols

Question 14

The primary function of a firewall in a computer network is to:

Accepted Answer

Prevent unauthorized access

Answer

Detect and remove viruses

Answer

Route traffic between networks

Answer

Optimize network performance

Question 15

Which component within the CPU's control unit keeps track of the next instruction's address?

Accepted Answer

Program Counter

Answer

Arithmetic Logic Unit

Answer

Registers

Answer

Cache Memory

Question 16

Which component of a computer system is primarily responsible for storing both instructions and data?

Accepted Answer

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Answer

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Answer

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

Answer

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

Question 17

In terms of instruction size, what is a key difference between Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) and Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) architectures?

Accepted Answer

RISC architectures use smaller instructions than CISC architectures.

Answer

CISC architectures use smaller instructions than RISC architectures.

Answer

RISC and CISC architectures use the same instruction size.

Answer

The difference in instruction size between RISC and CISC architectures depends on the specific implementation.

Question 18

In a computer system, what is the main purpose of cache memory?

Accepted Answer

Storing frequently accessed data for faster retrieval, thereby improving system performance

Answer

Storing operating system files

Answer

Storing user applications

Answer

Managing virtual memory

Question 19

In a computer system, what is the primary function of a multiplexer?

Accepted Answer

Selecting the input to be passed to an output device

Answer

Decoding instructions

Answer

Storing data temporarily

Answer

Performing arithmetic operations

Question 20

In a Central Processing Unit (CPU), what is a key advantage of using a pipeline?

Accepted Answer

Increased instruction throughput, leading to improved performance

Answer

Reduced power consumption

Answer

Enhanced cache efficiency

Answer

Reduced memory access times

Question 21

In a computer system, what is the primary purpose of implementing a virtual memory system?

Accepted Answer

Extending the available physical memory capacity, allowing for larger programs and data sets to be processed

Answer

Improving the security of the system by isolating different processes

Answer

Speeding up data access times by storing frequently used data in faster memory

Answer

Reducing the overall cost of memory by using a combination of physical and virtual memory

Question 22

Which component of a CPU is responsible for performing calculations and logical operations?

Accepted Answer

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

Answer

Control Unit

Answer

Memory Unit

Answer

Registers

Question 23

What is the primary function of the fetch-decode-execute cycle in a CPU?

Accepted Answer

Retrieving instructions from memory, interpreting them, and executing them

Answer

Storing data in registers

Answer

Managing input and output operations

Answer

Connecting the CPU to other components

Question 24

Which type of memory is volatile and used to store the operating system and currently running programs?

Accepted Answer

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Answer

Read-Only Memory (ROM)

Answer

Cache Memory

Answer

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

Question 25

Which advantage does a compiler have over an interpreter?

Accepted Answer

Improved performance

Answer

Reduced memory usage

Answer

Greater flexibility

Answer

Easier debugging

Question 26

What is the primary purpose of a bus in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To transfer data between different components

Answer

To store data temporarily

Answer

To control the flow of instructions

Answer

To connect external devices

Question 27

Which benefit is associated with parallel processing?

Accepted Answer

Increased processing speed

Answer

Reduced power consumption

Answer

Improved reliability

Answer

Lower cost

Question 28

How do containers differ from virtual machines (VMs)?

Accepted Answer

Containers run only a single application, while VMs emulate an entire computer system

Answer

VMs are more efficient than containers

Answer

Containers are easier to manage than VMs

Answer

VMs and containers are essentially the same technology

Question 29

What is the primary function of a firewall in a computer network?

Accepted Answer

Preventing unauthorized access to the network

Answer

Detecting and blocking malicious software

Answer

Controlling traffic flow

Answer

Connecting different networks

Question 30

The memory data register (MDR) stores:

Accepted Answer

The data being read from or written to memory

Answer

The address of the memory location being accessed

Answer

The instruction currently being executed

Answer

The status of the CPU

Question 31

The clock speed of a CPU is measured in:

Accepted Answer

Hertz (Hz or cycles per second)

Answer

Bits per second (bps)

Answer

Megabytes per second (MBps)

Answer

Instructions per second (IPS)

Question 32

The registers in a CPU are used primarily for:

Accepted Answer

Storing temporary data and instructions

Answer

Storing the operating system

Answer

Storing long-term data

Answer

Carrying data between the CPU and memory

Question 33

Which of the following is an advantage of using a superscalar architecture?

Accepted Answer

Increased instruction parallelism

Answer

Increased memory capacity

Answer

Reduced power consumption

Question 34

The term 'virtualization' refers to:

Accepted Answer

The creation of multiple virtual machines on a single physical machine

Answer

The use of multiple CPUs in a single computer system

Answer

The use of multiple cores in a single CPU

Question 35

Which of the following is a key difference between a RISC and a CISC processor?

Accepted Answer

Instruction set complexity

Answer

Memory architecture

Answer

Clock speed

Answer

Cache size

Question 36

The UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is stored in:

Accepted Answer

Flash memory

Answer

Hard disk drive

Answer

Solid-state drive

Answer

RAM

Question 37

Which component of a computer system is responsible for executing instructions and performing calculations?

Accepted Answer

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Answer

Input/Output Unit

Answer

Memory Unit

Question 38

What is the primary purpose of the main memory in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To store data and instructions during program execution

Answer

To manage input and output devices

Answer

To perform arithmetic and logical operations

Question 39

Which of the following is a key characteristic of a von Neumann architecture computer system?

Accepted Answer

Both data and instructions are stored in the same memory

Answer

The CPU and memory are connected by a dedicated data bus

Answer

Instructions are stored in separate memory from data

Question 40

What is the main purpose of the cache memory in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To store frequently accessed data and instructions for faster retrieval

Answer

To provide permanent storage for programs and data

Answer

To manage input and output devices

Question 41

Which technique is commonly employed to improve the performance of a memory system by dividing memory into smaller, interleaved banks?

Accepted Answer

Memory Interleaving

Answer

Memory Mirroring

Answer

Memory Virtualization

Answer

Memory Fragmentation

Question 42

What is the primary function of an operating system in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To manage hardware resources, provide user interfaces, and support application software

Answer

To store data and instructions

Answer

To perform arithmetic and logical operations

Question 43

Which type of expansion bus is commonly used for connecting high-speed peripherals to the computer system?

Accepted Answer

PCI Express (PCIe)

Answer

ATA

Answer

ISA

Answer

USB

Question 44

What is the main function of a graphics processing unit (GPU) in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To accelerate the rendering of graphics and visual content

Answer

To manage input and output devices

Answer

To provide permanent storage for programs and data

Answer

To perform arithmetic and logical operations

Question 45

Which of the following is a key characteristic of cloud computing?

Accepted Answer

On-demand access to shared computing resources over the internet

Answer

Limited scalability and flexibility

Answer

Physical ownership of hardware and software resources

Question 46

What is the primary difference between a 32-bit and a 64-bit computer system?

Accepted Answer

The number of bits processed by the CPU and the size of the addressable memory space

Answer

The amount of memory available

Answer

The speed of the processor