A microprocessor (also called a microcontroller) is a small computer on a single integrated circuit. It contains between 8 and 40 million transistors, depending on the model. It is made to handle many calculations and perform many operations and functions and it is designed to operate faster than a regular processor. From a system architecture standpoint, it is a computer on a chip. The term microcomputer, coined in the mid-1970s, is used to describe a microprocessor-based system.
On the 17th of April 1966, a little-known engineer named Gordon Moore published a paper titled “Cramming more components onto integrated circuits.” This paper—which first called attention to Moore’s law definition —said that the number of components that could be crammed into an integrated circuit would double every year. Today, that prediction seems almost heretical, but on the day of publication the situation was dire.
A microprocessor is a small computer processor that usually consists of a chip containing a CPU and a number of other functional units. These functional units may be designed as hardwired circuits or as programmable devices.
Microcontrollers are tiny computers that are frequently used in smartphones, remote controls, cameras, fitness trackers, drones, robots, toys, and more. They are so small that you’ll need a microscope to see them.
Microprocessors are made of transistors, which are very small switches used to control the flow of electricity. This is known as the gate-continuous process. A microcontroller, on the other hand, is a chip with digital logic integrated onto it. This allows the microcontroller to be designed to have digital logic without the need for a microprocessor.
The terms “microprocessor” and “microcontroller” are often used interchangeably. But there are important differences between these two types of chips. First, microprocessors are used for many reasons. They are used in computers, printers, phones, robots, cars, and more.
The difference is that a microprocessor can be “programmed” with a single, very simple task, while a microcontroller has many possible tasks stored in its memory. For example, a microcontroller can tell you the temperature of a room, while a microprocessor cannot.
The microcontroller is the tiny computer that runs the Raspberry Pi, an inexpensive computer that plugs into a screen and a keyboard. The microcontroller provides a small computer with digital logic, memory, and input/output capabilities. In the world of embedded electronics, the microcontroller is a very popular choice for many different applications.