6.2.2 Process States

6.2.2 Process States

A process isn't always actively doing work. It can be in different "states" depending on what it's doing. Imagine a student in a classroom:

• New: The process is just being created (like a student just entering the classroom).
• Ready: The process is waiting for its turn to use the CPU (like a student waiting for the teacher to call on them).
• Running: The process is actively using the CPU to perform its tasks (like a student answering a question).
• Waiting/Blocked: The process needs something else to happen before it can continue, like waiting for you to click the mouse, or waiting for a file to load from the hard drive (like a student waiting for a friend to finish writing something down).
• Terminated: The process has finished its job and is no longer running (like a student leaving the classroom at the end of the day).

The OS constantly moves processes between these states to keep everything flowing.

Bibliography:

• Process States in Operating System. (n.d.). GeeksforGeeks. Retrieved July 10, 2025, from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/operating-systems/process-in-operating-system/
• Process State Diagram. (n.d.). TutorialsPoint. Retrieved July 10, 2025, from https://www.tutorialspoint.com/operating_system/operating_system_process_states.htm