So if a microprocessor contains trillions of transistors

[jaydnul]

does that mean there are trillions of connections to each transistor that connect to various other parts of the board? how does that work? how is the signal from one transistor distinguished from another transistor right next to it on the microprocessor?

 

[phinds]

First, "trillions" is just silly.

Second, why would anyone WANT to have a transister connecting directly to more than a small number of others?

Circuits are etched on silicon chips and theoretically, one could build exactly the same thing with discrete transistors (in cans) and wires.

EDIT: my point is that etching circuits is just a fabrication technique. There's nothing different about the LOGIC of the circuit due to the fabrication technique.

 

[Runei]

Look up how the different logic gates (AND, OR, NAND, NOR and so on) are built. These are the building blocks you put together in order to create a microprocessor, and they are built from transistors.

The gates are then combined into combinational and sequential logic (clocked) logic. Which in turn is combined into registers, ALU's, caches, instruction set decoders and so on. Which in turn are assembled into a microprocessor or other logical hardware.

:)