What is the central processing unit in your computer - Weebly

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What is the central processing unit in your computer

The central processing unit (CPU) or processor, is the unit which performs most of the processing inside a computer. It processes all instructions received by software running on the PC and by other hardware components, and acts as a powerful calculator.The CPU is placed into a specific square-shaped socket found on all motherboards by inserting its metallic connectors or pins found on the underside. Each socket is built with a specific pin layout to support only a specific type of processor.Since modern CPUs produce a lot of heat and are prone to overheating, they must be kept cool with appropriate fans or ventilation systems, and covered with heat sinks and thermal paste.To control instructions and data flow to and from other parts of the computer, the CPU relies heavily on a chipset, which is a group of microchips located on the motherboard.This term is also known as a central processor, microprocessor or chip. The central processing unit (CPU) has two components:Control UnitThe control unit extracts instructions from memory and decodes and executes them.The control unit acts as an intermediary that decodes the instructions sent to the processor, tells the other units such as the Arithmetic Logic Unit (below) what to do by providing control signals, and then sends back the processed data back to memory.Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)An arithmetic logic unit (ALU) is a digital circuit inside the processor that handles arithmetic and logical operations by loading data from input registers.After the control unit provides the ALU with the instruction on the operations that must be performed, the ALU completes them by connecting multiple transistors, and then stores the results in an output register.The control unit will then move this data to memory.To function properly, the CPU relies on the system clock, memory, secondary storage, and data and address buses.Smaller devices like mobile phones, calculators, held gaming systems, and tablets use smaller-sized processors known as ARM CPUs to accommodate their reduced size and space.The CPU is the heart and brain of a computer. It receives data input, executes instructions, and processes information. It communicates with input/output (I/O) devices, which send and receive data to and from the CPU.Additionally, the microprocessor has an internal bus for communication with the internal cache memory, called the backside bus. The main bus for data transfer to and from the CPU, memory, chipset, and AGP socket is called the front-side bus.The CPU contains internal memory units, which are called registers. These registers contain data, instructions, counters and addresses used in the ALU's information processing.Some computers utilize two or more processors. These consist of separate physical microprocessors located side by side on the same board or on separate boards. Each CPU has an independent interface, separate cache, and individual paths to the system front-side bus.Multiple processors are ideal for intensive parallel tasks requiring multitasking. Multicore CPUs are also common, in which a single chip contains multiple CPUs.Since the first microprocessor was released by Intel in November 1971, CPUs have increased their computing power severalfold.The oldest Intel 4004 processor only performed 60,000 operations per second, while a modern Intel Pentium processor can perform about 188,000,000 instructions per second. Synonyms Microprocessor, Central Processor, Chip Updated: 05/02/2021 by Computer Hope Alternately referred to as a processor, central processor, or microprocessor, the CPU (pronounced sea-pea-you) is the central processing unit of the computer. A computer's CPU handles all instructions it receives from hardware and software running on the computer. As an example, the CPU processed the instructions to use a web browser to open and display this web page on your computer. Tip The CPU is often referred to as the brain of the computer. However, it is more appropriate to refer to software as the brain and the CPU as a very efficient calculator. A CPU is really good with numbers, but if it wasn't for the software it wouldn't know how to do anything else. Note Many new computer users may improperly call their computer and sometimes their monitor the CPU. When referring to your computer or monitor, it's proper to refer to them as either the "computer" or "monitor" and not a CPU. The CPU is a chip inside the computer. The picture below is an example of what the bottom and top of an AMD RYZEN processor may look. The processor is placed and secured into a compatible CPU socket found on the motherboard. Processors produce heat, so they are covered with a heat sink to keep them cool and running smoothly. To help transfer the heat between the CPU and the heat sink As seen in the picture above, the CPU chip is usually square with one notched corner to help make sure it's properly inserted into the CPU socket. On the bottom of the chip are hundreds of connector pins that correspond to the socket holes. Today, most CPU's resemble the picture shown above. However, Intel and AMD have also experimented with slot processors. They were much larger and slid into a slot on the motherboard. Also, over the years, there were several types of sockets on motherboards. Each socket only supports specific types of processors and each has its own pin layout. What does the CPU do? The CPU's main function is to take input from a peripheral (keyboard, mouse, printer, etc) or computer program, and interpret what it needs. The CPU then either outputs information to your monitor or performs the peripheral's requested task. CPU history The CPU was first invented and developed at Intel with the help of Ted Hoff and others in the early 1970s. The first processor released by Intel was the 4004 processor, shown in the picture. Components of the CPU In the CPU, there are two primary components. ALU (arithmetic logic unit) - performs mathematical, logical, and decision operations. CU (control unit) - directs all the processors operations. Over the history of computer processors, the speed (clock speed) and capabilities of the processor have dramatically improved. For example, the first microprocessor was the Intel 4004 that was released on November 15, 1971, and had 2,300 transistors and performed 60,000 operations per second. The Intel Pentium processor has 3,300,000 transistors and performs around 188,000,000 instructions per second. Types of CPUs In the past, computer processors used numbers to identify the processor and help identify faster processors. For example, the Intel 80486 (486) processor is faster than the 80386 (386) processor. After the introduction of the Intel Pentium processor (which would technically be the 80586), all computer processors started using names like Athlon, Duron, Pentium, and Celeron. Today, in addition to the different names of computer processors, there are different architectures (32-bit and 64-bit), speeds, and capabilities. Below is a list of the more common types of CPUs for home or business computers. Note There are multiple versions for some of these CPU types. AMD processors K6-2 K6-III Athlon Duron Athlon XP Sempron Athlon 64 Mobile Athlon 64 Athlon XP-M Athlon 64 FX Turion 64 Athlon 64 X2 Turion 64 X2 Phenom FX Phenom X4 Phenom X3 Athlon 6-series Athlon 4-series Athlon X2 Phenom II Athlon II E2 series A4 series A6 series A8 series A10 series Intel processors The AMD Opteron series and Intel Itanium and Xeon series are CPUs used in servers and high-end workstation computers. Some mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, use ARM CPUs. These CPUs are smaller in size, require less power, and generate less heat. Full list of computer CPU manufacturers. How fast does a CPU transfer data? As with any device that utilizes electrical signals, the data travels very near the speed of light, which is 299,792,458 m/s. How close to the speed of light a signal can get depends on the medium (metal in wire) through which it's traveling. Most electrical signals are traveling at about 75 to 90% the speed of light. Could a GPU be used in place of a CPU? No. Although GPU's can do many of the same things as a CPU, they lack the ability to perform functions required by some operating systems and software. Could a computer work without a CPU? No. All computers require some type of CPU. Computer acronyms, Coprocessor, CPU socket, CPU terms, Dual-core, Hardware terms, Logic chip, Motherboard, Parallel processing, Register In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation. Central Processing Unit (CPU) consists of the following features - CPU is considered as the brain of the computer. CPU performs all types of data processing operations. It stores data, intermediate results, and instructions (program). It controls the operation of all parts of the computer. CPU itself has following three components. Memory or Storage Unit Control Unit ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit) Memory or Storage Unit This unit can store instructions, data, and intermediate results. This unit supplies information to other units of the computer when needed. It is also known as internal storage unit or the main memory or the primary storage or Random Access Memory (RAM). Its size affects speed, power, and capability. Primary memory and secondary memory are two types of memories in the computer. Functions of the memory unit are - It stores all the data and the instructions required for processing. It stores intermediate results of processing. It stores the final results of processing before these results are released to an output device. All inputs and outputs are transmitted through the main memory. Control Unit This unit controls the operations of all parts of the computer but does not carry out any actual data processing operations. Functions of this unit are - It is responsible for controlling the transfer of data and instructions among other units of a computer. It manages and coordinates all the units of the computer. It obtains the instructions from the memory, interprets them, and directs the operation of the computer. It communicates with Input/Output devices for transfer of data or results from storage. It does not process or store data. ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) This unit consists of two subsections namely, Arithmetic Section Logic Section Arithmetic Section Function of arithmetic section is to perform arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. All complex operations are done by making repetitive use of the above operations. Logic Section Function of logic section is to perform logic operations such as comparing, selecting, matching, and merging of data.

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