Final answer:
Transistors provided several advantages for second-generation computers such as smaller size, faster processing, and greater energy efficiency compared to vacuum tubes. The invention of the silicon-based integrated circuit was pivotal, allowing for efficient data processing without bulky wiring. This led to a transformation in digital computing capabilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The advantage of using transistors instead of vacuum tubes in the second-generation computers was that transistors allowed these computers to be smaller, faster, and more power-efficient. In the late 1950s, the deployment of silicon-based integrated circuits, which combined many transistors into a single chip, dramatically enhanced the capabilities of computers by alleviating the size constraints and enabling even greater processing power. This essential innovation was vital for enabling digital computers to efficiently process large amounts of data, leading to a significant transformation in computing technology.
Transistors had several advantages over vacuum tubes, including a smaller size, lower power consumption, greater physical robustness, and lower production costs. These improvements were instrumental in advancing computer technology, making it possible for engineers and scientists to create smaller, more reliable, and less expensive electronic devices, such as the portable transistor radio.
The integrated circuit was the device that made it possible for digital computers to efficiently process large amounts of information without the need for complicated wiring that took up space. This was a key development in computer history and supported the evolution of modern computing systems