When does the operating system decide to free the kernel and pass it to other tasks?

The operating system decides to free the core and pass it to other tasks in the following cases:

• Quantum expiration: When the allotted time slice (quantum) ends, the scheduler switches context to another ready-to-run process.
• Blocking: When a process starts an input-output operation (e.g., reading a file or network request) or waits for a resource, it transitions to a blocked state and releases the core until the operation completes.
• High-priority interrupt: When a hardware or software interrupt with higher priority occurs, the current process is suspended, and the core switches to the interrupt handler.
• System call: In some cases, a system call may require waiting or performing actions in the kernel, leading to a context switch.
• Process termination: When a process finishes its execution, the core is released and passed to another process.
• Priority preemption: If a higher-priority process appears in the system, it can preempt the current process, even if its quantum has not yet expired.

These mechanisms ensure multitasking and efficient use of processor resources.