The 68040 is a microprocessor designed by Motorola, released in 1990. It is part of the 68k family of processors and was widely used in personal computers and workstations during the early 1990s. The 68040 features a 32-bit architecture and includes an integrated floating-point unit, which enhances its performance for mathematical calculations. This processor supports virtual memory and has a built-in cache, improving data access speeds. The 68040 was commonly found in systems like the Apple Macintosh and various Unix workstations, making it a significant component in the evolution of computing technology during its time.