The Central Processing Unit :: essays research papers

The Central Processing UnitMicro mainframes, also called substitution processing units ( mainframes), atomic number 18frequently described as the "brains" of a computer, because they act as thecentral control for the processing of data in personal computers (PCs) and othercomputers. Chipsets realize logic functions in computers based on Intel processors. Motherboards combine Intel microprocessors and chip offsets to form the rudimentary subsystem of a PC. Because its part of every one of your computersfunctions, it takes a fast processor to make a fast PC. These processors areall made of transistors. The first gear-year transistor was created in 1947 by a team ofscientists at ships bell Laboratories in New Jersey. Ever since 1947 transistors haveshrunk dramitically in size enabling more and more to be placed on each whizchip.     The transistor was not the only thing that had to be developed forwards atrue mainframe computer could be produced. T here also had to be some type of surface toassemble the transistors together on. The first chip made of semiconducitvematerial or silicon was invented in 1958 by scallywag Kilby of Texas Instruments.Now we have the major elements needed to produce a CPU. In 1965 a company bythe name of Intel was formed and they began to produce CPUs soon thereafter.Gordon Moore, one of the founders of Intel, predicted that the number oftransistor placed on each CPU would double every 18 months or so. This soundsalmost impossible, however this has been a very accutate estimation of theevolution of CPUs. Intel introduced their first processor, a 4004, in Novemberof 1971. This first processor had a clock speed of 108 kilohertz and 2,300transistors. It was used in the main for simple arithmetic manipulation such as in acalculator. Ever since this first processor was introduced the market has donenothing merely soared to unbelievable highs. The first processor common inpersonal computers was the 808 8. This processor was introduced in June of 1978.It could be purchased in three different clock speeds start at 5 Megahertzand going up to 10 Megahertz. This CPU had 29,000 transistors. Then came the80286 and 80386 processors. The 386 was the first processor to be introduced inthe DX, SX, and SL versions. Next came the 80486 processors of which there wereeven more choices here. The first 486 processor had 1,200,000 transistors andthe latest have 1.4 jillion transistors. There clock speeds varied any wherefrom 16 MHz on the first ones to 100 MHz on the most recent 486 processors. rough of which are still in use in homes all just about the country.