| microprocessor
The microprocessor handles the logic
operations in a computer, such as adding, subtracting, and copying. A set
of instructions in the chip design tells the microprocessor what to do,
but different applications can give instructions to the microprocessor as
well. Chip speeds are measured in megahertz (MHz), so a 120-MHz chip is
twice as fast as a 60-MHz chip. However, that doesn't mean your computer
will run all tasks twice as fast, as speed is also influenced by other
factors, such as the design of the software you're running, the operating
system you're using, and so on. The first microprocessor, the 8080, was
created by Intel. Other early microprocessors included Motorola's 6800 and
Rockwell's 6502. The most popular microprocessors today are Motorola's
PowerPC and Intel's Pentium. |