IC3 GS5

Certification Guide
Lesson 2: Hardware

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Lesson Objectives
• the relationships among • identifying different types of
hardware device drivers, computers
firmware, and platforms • keyboards, microphones and
• common measurements used touch screens
in computing • typical smart phone hardware
• standard internal computer • Windows power plans
components • connecting peripheral devices
• memory and storage • wireless connection
technologies
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What Makes Hardware Tick?
• Device Drivers – software that allows your computer to
communicate with and control the devices connected to it
• Firmware – programmable logic embedded in a piece of
hardware that controls how the device functions
• Platform – the environment (created by hardware and
operating system) in which a program runs

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About the Numbers
• A bit is the smallest unit of data a computer can understand
• A bit can equal 0 or 1
• 8 bits = 1 byte
• one alphanumeric character requires a byte of space

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About the Numbers
• Measuring Capacity

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About the Numbers
• Measuring Frequency

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About the Numbers
• Measuring Bandwidth

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The Basics – What’s Inside?
• system board – printed circuit board that provides pathways for
communication among all the components and connected devices
• processors – the silicon chips that control the hardware components and
manage the flow of data and instructions
• input devices – these allow you to send information to the computer
• output devices – these allow the computer to send information to you
• storage devices – these include memory chips and other storage media
• power supply – converts AC current from a wall outlet into low-voltage
DC power for the components.

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Memory and Storage
• Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Used for the temporary storage of information
• Can store data only while the computer is on
• Is provided through memory chips

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Memory and Storage
• Storage
• Software programs and user files must be stored on the computer
when they are not in use
• Local storage = devices inside or directly attached to your computer
• Remote storage = locations accessed over a network connection

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Memory and Storage
• Common Storage Devices include:
• Hard disks
• Flash drives
• Secure Digital (SD) cards
• Optical discs and drives

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Identifying Types of Computers
• Computers come in a wide variety of forms and types, including:
• Servers
• Desktop computers
• Laptop computers
• Chromebooks
• Tablets
• Smart Phones
• Some types of computers are better suited to certain tasks than
are others
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Identifying Types of Computers
• Servers
• Support other computers
• Run specialized operating systems and software for providing services
• Are not used for personal computing
• Are used mainly by IT personnel

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Identifying Types of Computers
• Desktop Computers
• Require peripheral devices (monitor, mouse, keyboard)
• Are not portable
• Are comfortable to use

Windows compatible Desktop iMac Desktop

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Identifying Types of Computers
• Laptop (or Notebook) Computers
• Are self-contained (no peripherals required)
• Are portable
• Can run on battery power and include a rechargeable battery charged
from an AC adapter

Windows Laptop Apple MacBook

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Identifying Types of Computers
• Chromebooks
• Are specialized laptops designed to run cloud-based applications
• Run the Chrome OS operating system
• Are lightweight, durable, and draw less power than their standard
counterparts
• Are less expensive, more durable, and weigh less than standard laptops

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Identifying Types of Computers
• Tablets
• Usually run a mobile operating system
• Feature a Home screen
• Have high-resolution touch screens and good sound quality
• Are designed primarily for entertainment purposes

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Identifying Types of Computers
• Smart Phones
• Combine the features of a standard cell phone with those of a personal
computer
• Run a mobile operating system
• Can be used for a wide variety of tasks
• Allow you install, configure and run numerous apps
• Come complete with touch screens, software, cameras, memory,
support for removable storage, and support for Wi-Fi connections

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Keyboards, Mice, and Touch Screens
Function
Escape Keys Numeric
Keypad

Control Alt
Cursor
Windows Movement

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Typical Smart Phone Hardware

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Typical Smart Phone Hardware
• Smart phones use virtual onscreen
keyboards and dial pads
• These are presented in a series of
screens

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Power Plans
• Power plans primarily
affect battery life in
laptops
• Use them on your
desktop system to
conserve energy and take
a “greener” approach to
computing

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Connecting Peripherals
• Peripheral devices attach to the PC through special sockets called
ports
• Video ports –allow you to connect monitors, projectors, and TVs to display
output
• Network ports –allow your computer to connect to a network
• Audio ports – (also called jacks) deliver sound from the sound card to
external speakers or headphones
• Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports – allow you to attach a wide variety of
devices and can also supply power

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Connecting Peripherals
• Duplicate these displays – shows the
same output on both monitors
• Extend these displays – shows
different output on each monitor
• Show only on 1 – shows output only
on monitor 1; monitor 2 goes blank
• Show only on 2 –shows output only
on the monitor 2; monitor 1 goes blank

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Connecting Peripherals
• USB Ports and Connectors
• Connect mass storage devices
• Connect human interface devices
• Can deliver power

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Connecting Peripherals
• Printers
• Printers connect to PCs
using USB or network
connections
• When you plug in the cable,
Windows detects the printer

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Wireless Connection Technologies
• To connect wireless peripherals you can use:
• Bluetooth
• Infrared

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Lesson Summary
• the relationships among • identifying different types of
hardware device drivers, computers
firmware, and platforms • keyboards, microphones and
• common measurements used touch screens
in computing • typical smart phone hardware
• standard internal computer • Windows power plans
components • connecting peripheral devices
• memory and storage • wireless connection
technologies
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Review Questions
1. Which internal component performs calculations and logical operations?
a. Microprocessor c. System board
b. RAM chips d. Power supply
2. Why is RAM used for temporary storage?
a. It is not big enough to be used for permanent storage.
b. It disappears when the computer is turned off.
c. It is too slow to be used for permanent storage.
d. It wears out after a few uses.
3. Which of the following is likely to have the greatest internal storage capacity?
a. Chromebook c. Server
b. Tablet d. Smart phone

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Review Questions
4. Which of the following is a disadvantage of using a desktop PC?
a. It is not portable.
b. It probably does not have a lot of storage capacity.
c. It probably does not have a lot of RAM.
d. All of these are disadvantages of using a desktop PC.
5. Which of the following is a disadvantage of using a touch screen keyboard?
a. It becomes uncomfortable after a period of time.
b. It does not include symbols.
c. It does not include numbers.
d. All of these are disadvantages of using a touch screen keyboard.
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Review Questions
6. Madge is going to connect a printer to her laptop computer. Which type of port
is she likely to use?
a. A video port c. A USB port
b. An audio port d. There is no way to tell
7. Adam stores video files on a 1TB hard disk. Which computing device is he most
likely using?
a. A desktop c. A Chromebook
b. A tablet d. A smart phone
8. Which piece of smart phone hardware identifies a GSM phone to its carrier
network?
a. The lock screen c. The SIM card
b. The widget d. The infrared transmitter
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Review Questions
9. Gary is going to connect an external monitor to his laptop. Which of the
following ports is he most likely to use?
a. Ethernet port c. USB port
b. HDMI port d. Line In port
10. Harlene wants to pair her Bluetooth headset to her laptop. Which of the
following is a step she must take?
a. Connect the headset to a USB port.
b. Change power plan on her laptop to High Performance.
c. Put the headset into discovery mode.
d. Turn off the wireless networking card because it interferes with Bluetooth.

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