What does the size of the address bus affect?

The size of the address bus affects the maximum amount of memory a computer can directly access. Specifically, it determines the number of unique memory addresses that can be generated, which is calculated as 2 raised to the power of the address bus size (in bits). For example, a 32-bit address bus can address up to 4 GB of memory, while a 64-bit address bus can theoretically access 16 exabytes. Thus, a larger address bus allows for greater memory capacity and can enhance overall system performance.