Final answer:
In an operating system, resource preemption occurs when the OS interrupts a process to require it to release a resource that is currently held by another process. This is done to ensure efficient and fair allocation of resources among all processes and to prevent deadlock situations. Examples include preempting a process that is waiting for a printer in use by another process.
Step-by-step explanation:
In an operating system, such as Linux or Windows, if a process requests a resource that is currently held by another process, the operating system may preempt the second process and require it to release its resources. This is known as resource preemption. The purpose of resource preemption is to ensure that critical resources are allocated efficiently and fairly among all processes.
For example, if two processes are competing for the same resource, such as a printer, and one process is already using the printer, the operating system may preempt the second process and temporarily suspend its execution until the resource becomes available.
Resource preemption can help prevent deadlock situations where multiple processes are waiting for each other to release resources, which can result in a system-wide deadlock. By preempting a process and forcing it to release resources, the operating system can avoid such deadlocks.