Central Processing Unit
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The Central Processing Unit or CPU can be thought of as the brain of the computer. The function of the CPU is to execute the instructions in the programs. At the heart of its operations are arithmetic and logical operations.
The CPU is made up of millions of electronic components called transistors, capacitors and resistors. Transistors are the active components of the CPU. Modem CPUs contain millions of transistors.
It was the miniaturisation of components and the creation of the integrated circuit that has made the development of modem computers possible. Although integrated circuits contain enormous numbers of components and connectors, the whole object is manufactured as a single item through special manufacturing techniques. From the outside, the integrated circuit looks like a small black box with a number of electrical connectors on the outside.
