Temporary storage for programs and data currently using. Slower than cache. Slower to access than Main Memory. Output devices - Monitor, printer, sound generator, etc. The principal electronic component of a computer is the transistor.
Transistors control electrical signals in certain ways.
Silicon is the primary component of transistors. Over the years, IC technology has succeeded in packing more and more transistors in smaller spaces. This causes the chip to work faster because There are more transistors to do things. The transistors are closer together on the chip, so there is less distance for the electric current to travel. A primary factor concerning how close together transistors can be placed is the heat they generate.