Management Information System (MIS) Practice Exam

In microcomputers, how is the processor's clock speed measured?

1. hertz

2. milliseconds

3. angstrom

4. amperes

The correct answer is: hertz

The measurement of a processor's clock speed in microcomputers is expressed in hertz. Hertz is a unit that indicates the number of cycles per second, which directly relates to how many instructions a processor can handle in that time frame. For example, a processor clocked at 3 GHz (gigahertz) can perform 3 billion cycles per second. Higher clock speeds generally mean that the processor can execute more instructions per second, which typically results in better performance for computing tasks. The other options do not pertain to processing speed. Milliseconds measure time in thousands of a second and are used in contexts like response times, but not for clock frequencies. Angstrom, a unit of length, is used in fields like physics and chemistry, rather than information systems. Amperes measure electrical current, which is essential for understanding power consumption and electrical specifications, but it does not relate to the frequency of processor clock cycles. Thus, hertz is the appropriate and relevant measurement for processor clock speed.