Computer hardware facts

for kids
Kids Encyclopedia Facts

2014 Modding computer

Computer hardware is the physical parts or components of a computer, such as

the monitor, keyboard, computer data storage, graphic card, sound card and motherboard. By
contrast, software is instructions that can be stored and ran by hardware.
Hardware is directed by the software to execute any command or instruction. A combination
of hardware and software forms a usable computing system.
Contents
 Von Neumann architecture
 Sales
 Different systems
o Personal computer
o Case
 Power supply
 Motherboard
 Expansion cards
 Storage devices
 Fixed media
 Removable media
 Input and output peripherals
 Input
 Output device
o Mainframe computer
o Departmental computing
o Supercomputer
 Hardware upgrade
 Recycling
o Toxic computer components
o Environmental effects
o National services
 Images for kids

Von Neumann architecture

Von Neumann architecture scheme

The template for all modern computers is the Von Neumann architecture, detailed in a 1945
paper by Hungarian mathematician John von Neumann. This describes a design architecture
for an electronic digital computer with subdivisions of a processing unit consisting of
an arithmetic logic unit and processor registers, a control unit containing an instruction
register and program counter, a memory to store both data and instructions, external mass
storage, and input and output mechanisms. The meaning of the term has evolved to mean a
stored-program computer in which an instruction fetch and a data operation cannot occur at
the same time because they share a common bus. This is referred to as the Von Neumann
bottleneck and often limits the performance of the system.
Sales
For the third consecutive year, U.S. business-to-business channel sales (sales through
distributors and commercial resellers) increased, ending 2013 up nearly 6 percent at $61.7
billion. The impressive growth was the fastest sales increase since the end of the recession.
Sales growth accelerated in the second half of the year peaking in fourth quarter with a 6.9
percent increase over the fourth quarter of 2012.

Different systems
There are a number of different types of computer system in use today.

Personal computer

Basic hardware components of a modern personal computer, including a monitor, a motherboard, a CPU, a RAM, two
expansion cards, a power supply, an optical disc drive, a hard disk drive, a keyboard and a mouse
 Inside a custom-built computer: power supply at the bottom has its own cooling fan

The personal computer, also known as the PC, is one of the most common types of computer
due to its versatility and relatively low price. Laptops are generally very similar, although
they may use lower-power or reduced size components, thus lower performance.
Case
The computer case encloses most of the components of the system. It provides mechanical
support and protection for internal elements such as the motherboard, disk drives, and power
supplies, and controls and directs the flow of cooling air over internal components. The case
is also part of the system to control electromagnetic interference radiated by the computer,
and protects internal parts from electrostatic discharge. Large tower cases provide extra
internal space for multiple disk drives or other peripherals and usually stand on the floor,
while desktop cases provide less expansion room. All-in-one style designs from Apple,
namely the iMac, and similar types, include a video display in the same case. Portable and
laptop computers require cases that provide impact protection for the unit. A current
development in laptop computers is a detachable keyboard, which allows the system to be
configured as a touch-screen tablet. Hobbyists may decorate the cases with colored lights,
paint, or other features, in an activity called case modding.
Power supply

A power supply unit (PSU) converts alternating current (AC) electric power to low-voltage
DC power for the internal components of the computer. Laptops are capable of running from
a built-in battery, normally for a period of hours.

Motherboard
The motherboard is the main component of a computer. It is a board with integrated circuitry
that connects the other parts of the computer including the CPU, the RAM, the disk drives
(CD, DVD, hard disk, or any others) as well as any peripherals connected via the ports or the
expansion slots.
Components directly attached to or to part of the motherboard include:

 The CPU (Central Processing Unit), which performs most of the calculations which

enable a computer to function, and is sometimes referred to as the brain of the
computer. It is usually cooled by a heatsink and fan, or water-cooling system. Most
newer CPUs include an on-die Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). The clock speed of
CPUs governs how fast it executes instructions, and is measured in GHz; typical
values lie between 1 GHz and 5 GHz. Many modern computers have the option to
 overclock the CPU which enhances performance at the expense of greater thermal
output and thus a need for improved cooling.
 The chipset, which includes the north bridge, mediates communication between the
CPU and the other components of the system, including main memory.
 Random-Access Memory (RAM), which stores the code and data that are being
actively accessed by the CPU. For example, when a web browser is opened on the
computer it takes up memory; this is stored in the RAM until the web browser is
closed. RAM usually comes on DIMMs in the sizes 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB, but can be
much larger.
 Read-Only Memory (ROM), which stores the BIOS that runs when the computer is
powered on or otherwise begins execution, a process known as Bootstrapping, or
"booting" or "booting up". The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) includes
boot firmware and power management firmware. Newer motherboards use Unified
Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) instead of BIOS.
 Buses that connect the CPU to various internal components and to expand cards for
graphics and sound.
 The CMOS battery, which powers the memory for date and time in the BIOS chip.
This battery is generally a watch battery.
 The video card (also known as the graphics card), which processes computer
graphics. More powerful graphics cards are better suited to handle strenuous tasks,
such as playing intensive video games.

Expansion cards

An expansion card in computing is a printed circuit board that can be inserted into an
expansion slot of a computer motherboard or backplane to add functionality to a computer
system via the expansion bus. Expansions cards can be used to obtain or expand on features
not offered by the motherboard.

Storage devices
A storage device is any computing hardware and digital media that is used for storing, porting
and extracting data files and objects. It can hold and store information both temporarily and
permanently, and can be internal or external to a computer, server or any similar computing
device. Data storage is a core function and fundamental component of computers.
Fixed media

Data is stored by a computer using a variety of media. Hard disk drives are found in virtually
all older computers, due to their high capacity and low cost, but solid-state drives are faster
and more power efficient, although currently more expensive than hard drives in terms of
dollar per gigabyte, so are often found in personal computers built post-2007. Some systems
may use a disk array controller for greater performance or reliability.
Removable media
To transfer data between computers, a USB flash drive or optical disc may be used. Their
usefulness depends on being readable by other systems; the majority of machines have an
optical disk drive, and virtually all have at least one USB port.
Input and output peripherals
Input and output devices are typically housed externally to the main computer chassis. The
following are either standard or very common to many computer systems.
Input

Input devices allow the user to enter information into the system, or control its operation.
Most personal computers have a mouse and keyboard, but laptop systems typically use
a touchpad instead of a mouse. Other input devices include webcams, microphones, joysticks,
and image scanners.
Output device

Plug and display

Output devices display information in a human readable form. Such devices could include
printers, speakers, monitors or a Braille embosser.
Mainframe computer
A mainframe computer is a much larger computer that typically fills a room and may cost
many hundreds or thousands of times as much as a personal computer. They are designed to
perform large numbers of calculations for governments and large enterprises.

An IBM System z9 mainframe

Departmental computing

In the 1960s and 1970s, more and more departments started to use cheaper and dedicated
systems for specific purposes like process control and laboratory automation.
Supercomputer
A supercomputer is superficially similar to a mainframe, but is instead intended for extremely
demanding computational tasks. As of June 2016, the fastest supercomputer in the world is
the Sunway TaihuLight, in Jiangsu, China.
The term supercomputer does not refer to a specific technology. Rather it indicates the fastest
computations available at any given time. In mid 2011, the fastest supercomputers boasted
speeds exceeding one petaflop, or 1 quadrillion (10^15 or 1,000 trillion) floating point
operations per second.

Super computers are fast but extremely costly so they are generally used by large
organizations to execute computationally demanding tasks involving large data sets. Super
computers typically run military and scientific applications. Although they cost millions of
dollars, they are also being used for commercial applications where huge amounts of data
must be analyzed. For example, large banks employ supercomputers to calculate the risks and
returns of various investment strategies, and healthcare organizations use them to analyze
giant databases of patient data to determine optimal treatments for various diseases and
problems incurring to the country.

Hardware upgrade

A dual processor PC from the 90's which ran the BeOS operating system

When using computer hardware, an upgrade means adding new hardware to a computer that
improves its performance, adds capacity or new features. For example, a user could perform a
hardware upgrade to replace the hard drive with a SSD to get a boost in performance or
increase the amount of files that may be stored. Also, the user could increase the RAM so the
computer may run more smoothly. The user could add a USB 3.0 expansion card in order to
fully use USB 3.0 devices, or could upgrade the GPU for extra rendering power. Performing
such hardware upgrades may be necessary for older computers to meet a programs' system
requirements.
Recycling

Re-computer

Because computer parts contain hazardous materials, there is a growing movement to recycle

old and outdated parts. Computer hardware contain dangerous chemicals such as: lead,
mercury, nickel, and cadmium. According to the EPA these e-wastes have a harmful effect on
the environment unless they are disposed of properly. Making hardware requires energy,
and recycling parts will reduce air pollution, water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas
emissions. Disposing unauthorized computer equipment is in fact illegal. Legislation makes it
mandatory to recycle computers through the government approved facilities. Recycling a
computer can be made easier by taking out certain reusable parts. For example, the RAM,
DVD drive, the graphics card, hard drive or SSD, and other similar removable parts can be
reused.
Toxic computer components
The central processing unit contains many toxic materials. It contains lead and chromium in
the metal plates. Resistors, semi-conductors, infrared detectors, stabilizers, cables, and wires
contain cadmium. The circuit boards in a computer contain mercury, and chromium. When
these types of materials, and chemicals are disposed improperly will become hazardous for
the environment.
Environmental effects
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency only around 15% of the e-
waste actually is recycled. When e-waste byproducts leach into ground water are burned or
get mishandled during recycling it causes harm. Health problems associated with such toxins
include impaired mental development, cancer, and damage to the lungs, liver, and kidneys.
That's why even wires have to be recycled. Different companies have different techniques to
recycle a wire. The most popular one is the grinder that separates the copper wires form the
plastic/rubber casing. When the processes is done there are two different piles left; one
containing the copper powder, and the other containing plastic/rubber pieces. Computer
monitors, mice, and keyboards all have a similar way of being recycled. For example, first
each of the parts are taken apart then all of the inner parts get separated and placed into its
own bin.
National services
Recycling a computer is made easier by a few of the national services, such
as Dell and Apple. Both companies will take back the computer of their make or any other
make. Otherwise a computer can be donated to Computer Aid International which is an
organization that recycles and refurbishes old computers for hospitals, schools, universities,
etc.
Images for kids

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PDP-11 CPU board

 
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Inside a custom-built computer: power supply at the bottom has its own cooling fan

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An IBM System z9 mainframe

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Subdriver photo

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Fpdaq1616-dimensions

 
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IBM BladeCenter HX5