Final answer:
The second generation of computers used transistors while the third generation introduced integrated circuits, leading to smaller, more affordable, and mass-produced computers that paved the way for personal computing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Difference Between 2nd and 3rd Generation Computers
The difference between the second and third generations of computers is marked by a major technological advancement: the transition from discrete transistors to integrated circuits. The second generation of computers, which were prevalent in the late 1950s to the mid-1960s, utilized transistors for their circuitry, replacing the vacuum tubes of the first generation. These computers were smaller, faster, and more reliable than their predecessors but still quite large by today's standards.
The third generation of computers, beginning around the mid-1960s, saw the introduction of the integrated circuit (IC), also known as the microchip. This innovation dramatically reduced the size and cost of computers, allowing them to be mass-produced. The development of the microchip was a turning point, leading to the growth of personal computing as seen in devices like the Apple II computer, circa 1980. With the rise of personal computers, computer technology became more accessible to the public, setting the stage for the modern computing era.
Thanks to the invention of microchips and contributions from engineers such as Steve Jobs, computers underwent extensive evolution, and by 1982, the presence of personal computers in homes and businesses had increased significantly. This progression illustrates the broader trend as postulated by Moore's Law, which observed the rapid doubling of electronics capabilities every two years, a trend that has continued to influence the development of computing technology.