Question 60

Transistors are characteristic of second-generation computing.

Second-generation computing is defined by the use of transistors, which replaced the vacuum tubes used in the first generation. This transition allowed for smaller, more efficient, and more reliable computers.

A) Microprocessors

Microprocessors are characteristic of third-generation computing, not second-generation. They were developed later and represent a significant advancement beyond the transistor technology of the second generation.

B) Transistors

Transistors are indeed the hallmark of second-generation computing. They enabled computers to become smaller and more efficient compared to their first-generation counterparts that relied on vacuum tubes.

C) Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is not specific to second-generation computing. It is a more recent development in technology that involves manipulating matter at an atomic or molecular scale, and it does not relate directly to the characteristics of computing generations.

D) Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is not a defining feature of second-generation computing. While it has become increasingly significant in modern computing, it emerged as a concept and technology later, primarily in the context of third-generation and beyond.

Conclusion

Transistors are a defining feature of second-generation computing, as they mark a significant technological advancement over vacuum tubes. The other options either pertain to different generations or represent technologies that developed after the second generation, confirming that transistors are the correct answer.