A microprocessor is a programmable chip that functions as what?
A Storage drive
B Power supply
C Central processing unit
D Display controller only
Answer: C. Central processing unit. A microprocessor integrates the CPU’s processing functions on a chip.
A microcontroller typically combines CPU with memory and what?
A External gearbox
B Cooling tower
C Mechanical relay only
D Peripherals
Answer: D. Peripherals. Microcontrollers integrate processing, memory and peripherals on one chip.
An 8-bit processor usually handles data in what width?
A Sixteen-byte units
B Eight-bit units
C One-bit addresses only
D Thirty-two-bit words always
Answer: B. Eight-bit units. An 8-bit data path processes eight-bit quantities directly.
The address bus identifies what location?
A Memory or I/O address
B Data value
C Instruction operation
D Clock phase
Answer: A. Memory or I/O address. Address lines select memory or I/O locations.
A byte-addressable 16-bit address bus can access how many bytes?
A 65536 bytes
B 16 bytes
C 4096 bytes
D 1 million bytes
Answer: A. 65536 bytes. Sixteen address bits represent 2^16 byte addresses.
The data bus carries what between processor and system?
A Addresses only
B Clock pulses only
C Data values
D Reset signals only
Answer: C. Data values. Data lines transfer instructions and operand values.
The accumulator commonly stores what?
A Next instruction address
B ALU operand or result
C Stack location only
D Clock frequency
Answer: B. ALU operand or result. Many processor architectures use an accumulator for arithmetic and logic results.
The program counter holds the address of what?
A Current stack top
B ALU result
C Next instruction
D Input port only
Answer: C. Next instruction. The PC indicates where the next instruction will be fetched.
The stack pointer identifies what?
A Next instruction
B Data bus width
C Top of stack
D Interrupt vector only
Answer: C. Top of stack. The SP tracks the top of the stack in memory.
A flag register records status of what operations?
A Memory refresh
B Arithmetic and logic
C Screen rendering
D Power conversion
Answer: B. Arithmetic and logic. Flags record conditions such as zero, carry, sign and overflow.
The ALU performs arithmetic and what?
A Instruction fetching only
B Logical operations
C Memory refresh
D Clock generation
Answer: B. Logical operations. The arithmetic logic unit executes arithmetic and Boolean functions.
An instruction register holds what?
A Next data byte
B Stack pointer
C Memory size
D Current instruction
Answer: D. Current instruction. The instruction register stores the instruction being decoded or executed.
An instruction decoder interprets what field?
A Address bus voltage
B Clock rate
C Stack depth
D Opcode
Answer: D. Opcode. The decoder determines the operation represented by the opcode.
A processor clock synchronizes what?
A Internal operations
B Storage capacity
C Data meaning
D Power supply color
Answer: A. Internal operations. Clock pulses sequence synchronous processor actions.
A reset signal places the processor into what condition?
A Maximum speed
B Known initial state
C Random state
D Memory full condition
Answer: B. Known initial state. Reset initializes control logic and execution state.
Instruction fetch reads the next instruction from what?
A Display
B Power supply
C Cooling fan
D Memory
Answer: D. Memory. The fetch phase retrieves instruction bytes from memory.
A machine cycle consists of what?
A Bus operations for an instruction
B Several programs
C Power cycles
D Memory pages
Answer: A. Bus operations for an instruction. A machine cycle covers a basic bus operation such as opcode fetch or memory read.
A T-state is one period of what signal?
A Reset
B Data bus
C Processor clock
D Interrupt request
Answer: C. Processor clock. A T-state is one clock period in processor timing.
The opcode specifies which operation to perform on what?
A Clock cycles
B Operands
C Power rails
D Memory capacity
Answer: B. Operands. The opcode identifies the instruction operation and how operands are used.
An operand is what used by an instruction?
A Clock signal
B Instruction decoder
C Data value or location
D Power source
Answer: C. Data value or location. Operands provide data or identify data locations for operations.
A stack follows which access order?
A Last in, first out
B First in, first out
C Random access only
D Sorted order
Answer: A. Last in, first out. A stack returns the most recently stored item first.
A CALL instruction commonly saves what on stack?
A Power state
B Data bus voltage
C Opcode table
D Return address
Answer: D. Return address. CALL stores a return address before transferring control to a subroutine.
A RET instruction obtains return address from what?
A Accumulator only
B Data bus width
C Interrupt mask
D Stack
Answer: D. Stack. RET restores the saved return address from the stack.
A vectored interrupt provides what to the processor?
A Predefined service address
B Only a data byte
C Clock frequency
D Stack depth
Answer: A. Predefined service address. A vectored interrupt identifies a fixed or supplied service routine address.
A nonmaskable interrupt cannot be disabled by what?
A Ordinary interrupt mask
B Clock divider
C Address decoder
D Data bus
Answer: A. Ordinary interrupt mask. A nonmaskable interrupt is not blocked by standard mask controls.