Question

I/O bound vs CPU bound - which has more voluntary switches?

a) I/O bound
b) CPU bound
c) Both have the same number of voluntary switches
d) It depends on the specific system configuration

Answer 1

I/O bound processes have more voluntary context switches than CPU bound processes, as they often wait for input/output operations and relinquish the CPU, while CPU bound processes utilize their CPU time more completely.

Step-by-step explanation:

When comparing I/O bound processes with CPU bound processes in terms of voluntary context switches, it's essential to understand the behavior of each in a multitasking operating system.

I/O bound processes spend more time waiting for I/O operations to complete than using the CPU. This means they often relinquish control of the CPU voluntarily while waiting for I/O operations to finish. Therefore, I/O bound processes tend to have more voluntary context switches as they wait for external devices to complete tasks.

On the other hand, CPU bound processes spend most of their time executing instructions on the CPU. They do not need to wait for I/O operations frequently, leading to fewer voluntary context switches since they use their allotted CPU time more completely.

Given this, the answer is a) I/O bound processes have more voluntary switches, because they frequently have to wait for I/O operations to be completed, triggering a context switch.