Computers have evolved from the early mainframe computers to the relatively small smart devices with high computing power being used today. Which of the following inventions contributed to reduce the physical size of computers?

Correct option is C

Integrated Circuits (ICs) significantly contributed to reducing the physical size of computers. By integrating multiple electronic components onto a single chip, ICs replaced larger components like vacuum tubes and transistors, enabling compact, efficient, and high-performance devices. This innovation paved the way for the development of modern computers and smart devices.

Important Key Points:

1. Vacuum Tubes: Used in early computers, they were bulky, fragile, and consumed a lot of power.
2. Transistors: Introduced after vacuum tubes, they were smaller and more efficient but still required individual connections.
3. Integrated Circuits: Miniaturized circuits by embedding multiple components (transistors, resistors, etc.) on a single silicon chip, drastically reducing size and increasing performance.
4. Modern Smart Devices: Depend on microprocessors and ICs for their compact and powerful design.

Knowledge Booster:

• Vacuum Tubes: Found in the earliest computers like ENIAC, but their size and inefficiency limited their use.
• Transistors: Replaced vacuum tubes in the 1950s, leading to smaller and faster computers.
• Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs): Used for displays, not for reducing the size of computers.
• Microprocessors: An evolution of ICs that integrate a computer's processing capabilities onto a single chip, further reducing size and increasing power.

Key Milestones:

• 1st Generation: Vacuum Tubes
• 2nd Generation: Transistors
• 3rd Generation: Integrated Circuits
• 4th Generation: Microprocessors and smart devices