NATS 1700 Lecture 7: THE MICROSCHIP
Document Summary
Integrated circuits: small and use little energy but can handle great complexities. Plastic shell, small rectangular surface the chip itself with a # of metal leads connected. These leads are used to power the chip and communicate with it. y this is why large calculators can be turned into pocket-sized gadgets. y transistors: minuscule electronic switches that play the role of electromagnetic switches from old computers. = can be made much smaller than vacuum tubes. A switch that allows/disallows the flow of electrical current through. The minicomputers y vacuum tube mainframe computers were replaced by their transistorized clones.