A Level Computer Science OCR Practice Exam 2026 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The clock speed of a CPU indicates the frequency at which the internal clock generates pulses, measured in hertz (Hz). This frequency determines how many cycles per second the CPU can execute, thus impacting its performance and processing capability. A higher clock speed generally means that the CPU can perform more operations per second, leading to quicker processing times for tasks.

The other options relate to different aspects of CPU and computer performance. The number of cores refers to the physical divisions within the CPU that allow for parallel processing, impacting multitasking efficiency rather than the speed at which operations are executed. Total memory capacity pertains to the amount of storage available for data and instructions, which is separate from the CPU's operational speed. Similarly, the speed of data transfer to RAM relates to how quickly data can be moved in and out of memory, rather than the intrinsic operational speed of the CPU indicated by clock speed.