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Internal Components of The Computer: by Daniel Atkinson

The CPU processes data and exchanges it with other components. CPUs come in speeds between 500MHz-800MHz or GHz. The motherboard contains the CPU and connects components like RAM, expansion slots, and heat sink. RAM stores data but requires power to maintain memory. Power supplies change AC to DC power for components. Fans cool computers to prevent overheating, especially around the CPU. Adapter cards like graphics cards and NIC cards allow visuals and network connectivity. Storage devices include floppy disks, hard drives, and optical drives to read DVDs and CDs. Connectors link peripherals to hardware via USB, Firewire, or PS/2 ports. The computer case houses all internal components.

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Ferdzkie Garcia
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76 views

Internal Components of The Computer: by Daniel Atkinson

The CPU processes data and exchanges it with other components. CPUs come in speeds between 500MHz-800MHz or GHz. The motherboard contains the CPU and connects components like RAM, expansion slots, and heat sink. RAM stores data but requires power to maintain memory. Power supplies change AC to DC power for components. Fans cool computers to prevent overheating, especially around the CPU. Adapter cards like graphics cards and NIC cards allow visuals and network connectivity. Storage devices include floppy disks, hard drives, and optical drives to read DVDs and CDs. Connectors link peripherals to hardware via USB, Firewire, or PS/2 ports. The computer case houses all internal components.

Uploaded by

Ferdzkie Garcia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Internal Components

of the Computer
By Daniel Atkinson

CPU
A CPU (Central Processing Unit), or processor as it is
sometimes called, is the main chip in the computer and is
located on the Motherboard.
The CPU processes the computers data and exchanges it
with the other components and peripherals.
CPUs come in different speeds, the most of common of
which are between 500MHz - 800MHz. The speeds are
measured in Mega Hertz (MHz) and even Giga Hertz (GHz).
Most modern computers have two processors (Intel Dual
Core Processor).
The CPU is often referred to as the brain of the computer.

Motherboard
The Motherboard, or logic board as it is known in Macintosh
computers, is the main circuit board in the computer. The
Motherboard contains many components like the RAM, CPU,
expansion slots and the heat sink. The motherboard
connects all these peripherals together.

RAM
RAM or Random Accessing Memory is the main memory that
stores data on the computer.
RAM is a type of volatile memory which means it requires
electricity to store data, so when the computer is powered
down all the memory is wiped.
There are many types of RAM including SRAM (Static Random
Accessing Memory), DRAM (Dynamic Random Accessing
Memory) and SO-DIMM RAM. All these do similar jobs to the
RAM.

Power Supply
The Power Supply Unit supplies all the computer components
which power (electricity). The Power Supply Unit changes AC
(Alternating Current) from the mains supply into DC ( Direct
Current) which is used by the components.

Fans
One of the main problems with computers, especially laptops,
are that they can overheat easily. To stop this problem fans are
added to cool the computer down.
The main fan is positioned on the CPU because the CPU is prone
to overheating. Firstly a thermal compound is put on top of the
CPU followed by the heat sink, and the fan is placed on top of
this.

Adapter Cards
On the motherboard there are a couple of expansion slots.
In these expansion slots go several printed circuit boards,
or adapter cards as they are more commonly known.
The sound card is an adapter card that
allows the computer to have extended sound
capabilities, and for sound components to be
used, for example, headphones.

The Video or Graphics card is an adapter


card that allows the computer to show
graphics on the monitor.

NIC Card
The NIC, or Network Interface Card, is an adapter card that
allows the computer to connect to a network.
The Wireless Network Interface Card allows the computer to
access the network wirelessly. It uses radio signals to do so.

FDD
A FDD (Floppy Disk Drive) is a drive that can read and write
on a removable magnetically coated floppy disk. The
rectangular disk is quite flexible so it has been give the name
floppy.
The Floppy Disk is a type of storage medium and back up
device.

HDD
The HDD (Hard disk Drive) is a drive that can read and write
on a magnetically coated platter, that spins at a high speed.
There can be more than one patter (disk) in the hard drive.
While the platter is rotating the magnetic head reads the
data stored on it.
A computer can have more than one hard drive. In these
circumstances the main hard drive is called the master
while the others are called slaves these can be alternated
by the a switch know as a jumper.

Optical Drives
There are two types of optical drives.
The DVD drive is a DVD player built in to the base unit. The
DVD drive allows the computer to run DVDs.
The other optical drive is the CD-ROM drive, which allows
the computer to run CD-ROMs . These have, however,
mostly been replaced by DVD drives.

Connectors
A connector is a cable that connects a peripheral device to a
hardware component. There are many types of connectors but
the main ones used today are USB, Firewire, and PS/2.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is hot swappable, meaning that it can be put in or pulled
out without the system having to be rebooted, it can support 127 devices. There
are 3 standards of USB, USB 3.0 is the latest and has transfer speeds of up to
625MBs per second.
Firewire or IEEE 1394 is another high speed connector that is used
predominantly by Apple. IEEE 1394 can support up to 63 devices and has
speeds of up to 800MBs per second
An older, and less common connector, is PS/2. PS/2 is used to connect
keyboards and mice to the computer. These have mostly been replaced by USB.

Other Connectors include Ethernet, SCSI, Parallel and Serial.

Computer Case

Here is a
labelled
diagram of
the inside of
a
computer.

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