Question

What are the characteristics threatening to slow down Moore's Law?

Answer 1

Moore's Law, which predicts that the number of transistors on a microchip will double approximately every two years, faces several challenges that could slow its pace:

1. Physical Limitations: As transistors become smaller, they approach the atomic scale, where quantum effects can interfere with their operation.

2. Heat Dissipation: As more transistors are packed into a small space, managing the heat they generate becomes increasingly difficult.

3. Power Consumption: More transistors require more power, which can lead to increased energy costs and further heat management issues.

4. Economic Factors: The cost of developing and manufacturing smaller, more complex chips is increasing, which could make continued adherence to Moore's Law economically unfeasible.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

The slowing down of Moore's Law is due to technological limitations in miniaturization, decrease in R&D investments due to shorter patent protections, geological challenges, the presence of planned obsolescence, and the growing digital divide.

Step-by-step explanation:

Moore's Law, which states that the capabilities of electronics have roughly doubled every two years, is being threatened by several significant factors. These include technological limitations, such as difficulties in miniaturizing transistors beyond certain physical boundaries and increasing complexity in design and heat dissipation. Additionally, there exists a potential decrease in R&D investments due to shorter patent protections, making innovation less attractive.

One characteristic impacting Moore's Law is geological challenges, limiting both the rate of production and resource availability. Another factor is the emergence of superior substitutes that could reduce demand and production of current technologies. Furthermore, planned obsolescence plays a role; manufacturers intentionally create products with short lifespans, pushing for continual upgrade cycles.

Market disruptions, such as those caused by resource shortages, can have profound effects, including accelerating the end of Moore's Law. Lastly, the lack of equal access to technology and growing digital divide can slow down technology adoption, impacting overall technological progress and continued adherence to Moore's Law.