CPU Parts and Evolution
What are the parts of a CPU and how did they evolve through time?
Parts of the CPU
One of the main parts of the CPU is the transistor. Transistors are used for opening and closing circuits. Transistors are semiconductors that are capable of changing their electric state when pulsed. Resistors are used for resisting the flow of electric current. Capacitors hold an electric charge. With innovations in microprocessor production, several transistors have been combined in a single integrated circuit, also known as an IC. Another main part of the CPU is the bus. This is the part of the CPU that interacts with memory. The third part of the processor is the arithmetic logic unit or the ALU. The ALU is where all the arithmetic calculations are made. The fourth part of the processor is the logic unit. This is used for logic operations of the Boolean type. Boolean data comes in the form of True or False, 1 or 0, respectively.
Evolution of the processor
Before the high tech processors of Intel and AMD hit the markets today, processors went through many stages. Before the transistors were used, processor manufacturers relied on vacuum tubes and electrical relays to open and close circuits. When transistors were already being used, they evolved into integrated circuits or ICs. ICs are a combination of several transistors. ICs are put on a chip. From processors, microprocessors evolved. More and more ICs were able to be put on a single chip. According to Gordon Moore, one of the co-founders of Intel, the number of transistors on a single chip doubles every two years. So far, his predictions are correct. What does this mean for the future of microprocessors? Processing power will approximately double every two years! Two years from now, one high end computer can do the job of two high end computers today.
www.intel.com, according to Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, transistors on a computer chip will double every two years.
