Microprocessors

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

describe a microprocessor as a factory and all of
the inner workings of the chip as the various parts of a factory (Wyant and
Hammerstrom, 71-103). Basically a microprocessor can be seen as a factory
because like a factory it is sent something and is told what to do with it. The
microprocessor factory processes information. This most basic unit of this
information is the bit. A bit is simply on or off. It is either a one or a zero.
Bits are put into 8 bit groups called bytes. The number 8 is used because it is
offers enough combinations to encode our entire language (2^8=256). If only 4
bits are used only (2^4=16) combinations would be possible. This is enough to
encode 9 digits and some operations. (The first microprocessors powered
calculators) A half byte is called a nibble and consists of 4 bits. In the world
of computer graphics the combination of bits is easier seen. In computer
graphics bits are used to make color combinations, thus with more bits more
colors are ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

this
digital symbiosis work as fast as possible.
To an outsider, computer nerd vernacular and all other forms of computer
people esoteric may or may not be considered frightening. Probably the most
confused term in microprocessor performance is Megahertz (MHz). Basically these
are millions of cycles per second. This is a measurement of chip speed but is
better considered the RPM of the chip (Knorr, 135). For example a 486 100 MHz
processor cannot touch the speed of a Pentium running at only 60 MHz. This is
because the Pentium packs more power and can do more per clock cycle. The
computer bus is the data line that connects the microprocessor the rest of the
computer. The width of the bus ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library. Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports, and research papers in 2 minutes or less.

CITE THIS PAGE: