[W/K] :: data bus

  data bus
       
           The bus (connections between and within the
          CPU, memory, and peripherals) used to carry data.  Other
          connections are the address bus and control signals.
       
          The width and clock rate of the data bus determine its data
          rate (the number of bytes per second it can carry), which is
          one of the main factors determining the processing power of a
          computer.  Most current processor designs use a 32-bit bus,
          meaning that 32 bits of data can be transferred at once.  Some
          processors have an internal data bus which is wider than their
          external bus in order to make external connections cheaper
          while retaining some of the benefits in processing power of a
          wider bus.
       
          See also data path.
       
          (1995-01-16)