• View
• Edit
• History
• Source
• Backlinks
• Set Attributes

• login

< Cookie (HTTP) | Knowledge Base | Cracking >

A CPU including its package, note the pins that allow electronic interconnection with other components.¹

A Central Processing Unit, or CPU is the primary computing component of a modern computer and centrally coordinates all its components and functions. The CPU is also responsible for directly executing all functions that are not performed by specialist processing units, it can even perform some of these specialist functions itself, albeit at reduced efficiency.

CPU are analogous to the brain of vertebrates in that they can perform a huge variety of tasks and coordinate subsidiary components (in humans, for example the spinal cord performs some support computations). Surprisingly, CPUs perform these tasks by doing only one thing, adding two numbers together. This is the only thing that, on a certain level, CPUs can do. Unlike the brain, CPUs do not store any data, instead

Technically, the CPU itself is only a tiny silicon chip, smaller than a finger nail. However in general usage the term also includes the much bigger electronic packaging that guides electrical impulses into and out of the CPU. Atop the CPU is a comparatively large bladed structure with a fan. This device, called a heat sink is designed to dissipate heat away from the CPU. Due to their immense electrical complexity and delicate structure CPUs would quickly generate enough heat to destroy themselves without artificial cooling.

CPUs carry out all the instructions of the computer program, including the Operating System.

See Also

• Wikipedia:CPU - a much more detailed and technical article.

Notes

¹ Image credit: © 2005 Andrew Dunn (CC By SA 2.0) from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Intel_80486DX2_bottom.jpg

Categories: Hardware

< Cookie (HTTP) | K.B. Index | Cracking >