Which characteristic of the CPU determines how many instructions it can process per second?

Correct option is D

Correct Answer: (D) Clock speed

Explanation:

• Clock speed refers to the number of cycles a CPU can perform per second, measured in hertz (Hz).
• The higher the clock speed, the more instructions a CPU can process in a given period.
• It plays a crucial role in determining the processing speed of the CPU, directly affecting how fast tasks and computations are completed.

Information Booster:

• Measurement: Clock speed is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), with modern CPUs often operating at speeds of 3 GHz or higher.
• Influence: Higher clock speeds generally result in faster performance, though other factors like core count and architecture also impact overall performance.
• Relationship to Performance: A CPU with a higher clock speed can perform more instructions per second, making it more efficient for tasks requiring rapid processing.