What is the CPU?

The computer is a complex of various devices, united in a single unit by means of buses (actual for internal components). For example, the structure of any computer includes RAM, CPU, video adapter, etc. Their characteristics determine the overall output and capabilities. One of the most important components is the central processor. Sometimes you can find other names: CPU (English Central Processing Unit - basic computing unit), percent, stone.

What is the CPU in terms of the average user? By analogy with the human body, percents can be compared with the brain. He performs all mathematical calculations and partially ensures the interaction of components among themselves. Physically, the processor is the largest chip, installed in a special connector of the motherboard. Inside it contain complex logic circuits of several billion transistors. People who are interested in the question "what is the CPU" can easily determine the processor among other internal components. After all, it always has an active cooling system: a massive metal radiator and a fan. The need for them is caused by the fact that the power consumed by the chip is often tens of watts. The small volume of the scattering surface and high power lead to the heating of the CPU case, which requires the use of cooling.

Manufacturers of processors differently solve the heating problem: some optimize the architecture, introducing mechanisms to disconnect unused blocks, others reduce the supply voltage and use the latest achievements ("thin" process technology) for production, etc. At present, the main "players" in the market of central processors for Desktop computers and laptops are two companies - Intel and AMD. Accordingly, the rest of the infrastructure is adjusted to the features of their products.

Often the question "what is the CPU" gives a fairly generalized answers. This is explained very simply: now the term "processor" has acquired a wider meaning than "part of the computer." So, in any modern mobile phone there is a unit that performs mathematical calculations - this is also a processor. Even owners of managed children's toys are useful to know what a CPU is, because they also have a computational unit.

Obviously, without considering the principle of the processor, it is impossible to understand the general features of its operation. The operation of the CPU is controlled by programs. They are sets of instructions for the processor, written in some programming language. Speaking in human language, the program specifies the exact order of actions. Everyone remembers or at least heard about the Basic programming language. In it, in order to draw a circle on the screen, you had to execute the Circle command (coordinates). Modern principles of creating programs remained the same: tasks are created by commands of programming languages. When the program is started on the computer, a special software decoder converts the commands of the used language into machine code intended for direct processing on the CPU. This code is binary, it is a sequence of ones and zeros. Many people can not understand why it was decided to use the binary system, rather than the usual decimal one. In fact, everything is explained very simply: binary digits can easily be represented by commands for the transistors themselves. For example, since we are talking about digital devices, we can imagine the figure "1" as a voltage on the basis of a certain transistor, and "0" - as its absence. Accordingly, in the first case, the transistor is open and passes a current through itself, and in the second - it is locked (of course, all simplified and with many reservations).

The speed of execution of the program instructions determines the speed of the processor. This affects the architecture, the frequency of internal circuits, code optimization.