The CPU, or central processing unit, is the brain of the computer that performs arithmetic and logical operations. It contains a core and registers to store data and instructions. Modern CPUs also include cache, floating point units, and instruction sets. CPU speed is measured in clock cycles per second, with newer CPUs achieving higher speeds through smaller transistor sizes, pipeline processing, and other optimizations. Early computers used vacuum tubes and relays rather than integrated circuits, but the development of transistors and integrated circuits led to the CPUs found in modern personal computers.