The Central Processing Unit (CPU): Crash Course Computer Science #7

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Overview

Added

March 17, 2026

Subject & domain

computer-science-advanced · computer-architecture-organization

Grade range

Grade 9 (Freshman)–Grade 12 (Senior)

Page kind

Video

Keywords

John Green Hank Green vlogbrothers Crash Course crashcourse education cpu central processing unit clock instructions microarchitecture instruction register opcode register RAM ALU clock clock cycle overclocking underclocking dynamic frequency scaling intel 4004 processor

Introduction

Today we’re going to build the ticking heart of every computer - the Central Processing Unit or CPU. The CPU’s job is to execute the programs we know and love - you know like GTA V, Slack... and Power Point. To make our CPU we’ll bring in our ALU and RAM we made in the previous two episodes and then with the help of Carrie Anne’s wonderful dictation (slowly) step through some clock cycles. WARNING: this is probably the most complicated episode in this series, we watched this a few times over ourselves, but don't worry at about .03Hz we think you can keep up.

Produced in collaboration with PBS Digital Studios: http://youtube.com/pbsdigitalstudios

Want to know more about Carrie Anne?
https://about.me/carrieannephilbin

Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/YouTubeCrashC...
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Support Crash Course on Patreon: http://patreon.com/crashcourse
CC Kids: http://www.youtube.com/crashcoursekids

Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/YouTubeCrashC...
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/TheCrashCourse
Tumblr - http://thecrashcourse.tumblr.com
Support Crash Course on Patreon: http://patreon.com/crashcourse

CC Kids: http://www.youtube.com/crashcoursekids

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