Question 47

Transistors are characteristic of second-generation computing.

Second-generation computing is primarily defined by the use of transistors, which replaced vacuum tubes, resulting in smaller, faster, and more efficient computers.

A) Microprocessors

Microprocessors are a key feature of third-generation computing, not second-generation. While they are significant advancements in computing, they were developed after the era characterized by transistors.

B) Transistors

Transistors are indeed the hallmark of second-generation computing. They allowed for the miniaturization of circuits and improved reliability, marking a significant technological leap from the vacuum tube technology used in first-generation computers.

C) Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology does not define second-generation computing. It is a more recent technological advancement that deals with manipulating matter on an atomic or molecular scale, and it is not directly related to the evolution of computing generations.

D) Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is not characteristic of second-generation computing. While AI has become an important area of computer science, its development largely began in the later stages of computing evolution, particularly in the context of advanced programming and hardware capabilities.

Conclusion

Transistors are a defining feature of second-generation computing, facilitating major improvements in speed and efficiency over previous generations. The other options, while relevant to computing in various contexts, do not accurately represent the technological characteristics specific to the second generation. Thus, option B is the correct choice.