- The processor stores data and instructions temporarily in registers during execution. It needs registers to store the location of the current instruction and data/instructions being used.
- An instruction cycle involves fetching the next instruction from memory, decoding it, and executing it. Fetching involves reading the instruction from memory into the processor. Execution interprets the instruction and performs the specified operation.
- Common operations include fetching data from memory into a register, storing a register to memory, transferring between registers, and arithmetic/logic operations using the ALU with results stored in a register. Fetching and storing involve transferring addresses and data between the memory address register (MAR), memory data register (MDR), and memory bus.