We use the term abstraction to refer to the stack. What is meant by this term? Does the term abstraction imply how it is implemented? For example, is a stack used in a procedure call/return a hardware device or a software device?

What will be an ideal response?

An abstraction is a way of simplifying and eliminating unnecessary details while defining the desired behavior of a system. Normally abstraction implies hiding implementation details. For example, a queue is an abstraction that has to support enqueuing and dequeuing. The queue abstraction may be implemented with a linked list, an array, etc. The stack facilitating a procedure call/return is a software abstraction implemented with memory and register hardware but it could also be implemented as a separate device.