How can machine code actually create electric signals to turn transistors on and off?

Question

I’m a junior EE student, but I’m still genuinely confused about this, and other answers still haven’t cleared my confusion. How can voltages be manipulated by code in a digital circuit without someone physically closing and opening circuit connections?

In: Engineering

Answer 1

Machine code itself is an information that is stored on a memory device. Let’s assume it is stored on RAM. Usually RAM stores 1s and 0s in the form of charged or discharged capacitors. If a charged capacitor is connected to the gate of a transistor – it will conduct. And the other way around with a discharged capacitor.