Is it possible to mine on CPU and why the GPU mining is more effective than CPU mining?
Mining on CPU is possible, but not for all cryptocurrency. For example, Bitcoin is much more profitable to produce, using the graphics card. As for Litecoin - let's deal with it in more details.
The first step is to understand what are the CPU and GPU. GPU (graphics card) is responsible for graphics rendering. CPU (processor) is responsible for the execution of software tasks. CPU, in fact, is the main component of the computer.
The CPU is required to make decisions in accordance with the program guidelines. It programmed to perform diverse tasks or sequential. In other words, it is like a "general manager", who distributes responsibilities between workers and who is responsible for their work.
Graphics cards, respectively, are responsible for video processing. This is the main difference from the processor: they are not able to systematically decide solutions - only simple repetitive actions. GPU performs a huge amount of the same type of work, while processing video, but another switch on another task is extremely difficult.
The difference between the GPU and CPU is that the CPU capable of performing several tasks at once diverse, but can not cope with large volumes of information, and GPU work with huge information flow, but can only perform the same type of work.
In fact, the work of these two processors can be compared to the work of the personnel: let the CPU is the department, where work very smart people, and GPU - the department, where work regular performers, who quickly perform any repetitive tasks. In this case, regular performers done the task faster than "clever" performers. The problem is not that the "geeks" are lazy or do not know how to perform a task - their departments are directed to perform different functions of the organization.
So the same situation is with the cryptocurrency production - litecoin mining requires the same type of repetitive tasks - the code decryption, not taking decisions. So, the conclusion follows: to produce with the help of the processor is possible, but it will be less effective.