Internal Componentsof the Computer By Daniel Atkinson

CPUA CPU (Central Processing Unit), or processor as it is sometimescalled, is the main chip in
the computer and is located on theMotheroard!"he CPU processes the computer#s data and
e$changes it %iththe other components and peripherals!CPU#s come in di&erent speeds, the
most of common of %hichare et%een '((M)* + ,((M)*! "he speeds are measured inMega
)ert* (M)*) and e-en .iga )ert* (.)*)! Most moderncomputers ha-e t%o processors (Intel
Dual Core Processor)!"he CPU is often referred to as the rain of the computer!
Motheroard"he Motheroard, or logic oard as it is kno%n in Macintoshcomputers, is the
main circuit oard in the computer! "heMotheroard contains many components like the /AM,
CPU,e$pansion slots and the heat sink! "he motheroard connectsall these peripherals
together!
/AM/AM or /andom Accessing Memory is the main memory thatstores data on the
computer!/AM is a type of -olatile memory %hich means it re0uireselectricity to store data, so
%hen the computer is po%ered do%nall the memory is %iped!"here are many types of /AM
including 1/AM (1tatic /andomAccessing Memory), D/AM (Dynamic /andom
AccessingMemory) and 12+DIMM /AM! All these do similar 3os to the /AM!
Po%er 1upply"he Po%er 1upply Unit supplies all the computer components%hich po%er
(electricity)! "he Po%er 1upply Unit changes AC(Alternating Current) from the mains supply
into DC ( DirectCurrent) %hich is used y the components!
4ans2ne of the main prolems %ith computers, especially laptops, arethat they can o-erheat
easily! "o stop this prolem fans are addedto cool the computer do%n!"he main fan is
positioned on the CPU ecause the CPU is prone too-erheating! 4irstly a thermal compound is
put on top of the CPUfollo%ed y the heat sink, and the fan is placed on top of this!
Adapter Cards2n the motheroard there are a couple of e$pansion slots! Inthese e$pansion
slots go se-eral printed circuit oards, oradapter cards as they are more commonly kno%n!
"he sound card is an adapter card that allo%s the computer to ha-e e$tended sound
capailities, and for sound components to e used, for e$ample, headphones! "he 5ideo or
.raphics card is an adapter card that allo%s the computer to sho% graphics on the monitor!
6IC Card"he 6IC, or 6et%ork Interface Card, is an adapter card thatallo%s the computer to
connect to a net%ork!"he 7ireless 6et%ork Interface Card allo%s the computer toaccess the
net%ork %irelessly! It uses radio signals to do so!
4DDA 4DD (4loppy Disk Dri-e) is a dri-e that can read and %rite on aremo-ale magnetically
coated 8oppy disk! "he rectangulardisk is 0uite 8e$ile so it has een gi-e the name
98oppy#!"he 4loppy Disk is a type of storage medium and ack upde-ice!
)DD"he )DD ()ard disk Dri-e) is a dri-e that can read and %rite ona magnetically coated
platter, that spins at a high speed!"here can e more than one patter (disk) in the hard
dri-e!7hile the platter is rotating the magnetic head reads the datastored on it!A computer
can ha-e more than one hard dri-e! In thesecircumstances the main hard dri-e is called the
9master# %hilethe others are called 9sla-es# these can e alternated y the as%itch kno% as a
93umper#!
2ptical Dri-es"here are t%o types of optical dri-es!"he D5D dri-e is a D5D player uilt in to
the ase unit! "he D5Ddri-e allo%s the computer to run D5D#s!"he other optical dri-e is the
CD+/2M dri-e, %hich allo%s thecomputer to run CD+/2Ms ! "hese ha-e, ho%e-er, mostlyeen
replaced y D5D dri-es!
ConnectorsA connector is a cale that connects a peripheral de-ice to ahard%are
component! "here are many types of connectors utthe main ones used today are U1B,
4ire%ire, and P1:;! U1B (Uni-ersal 1erial Bus) is hot s%appale, meaning that it can e put in
or pulled out %ithout the system ha-ing to e reooted, it can support <;= de-ices! "here are
> standards of U1B, U1B >!( is the latest and has transfer speeds of up to ?;'MBs per second!
4ire%ire or I@@@ <>AB is another high speed connector that is used predominantly y Apple!
I@@@ <>AB can support up to ?> de-ices and has speeds of up to ,((MBs per second An older,
and less common connector, is P1:;! P1:; is used to connect keyoards and mice to the
computer! "hese ha-e mostly een replaced y U1B!2ther Connectors include @thernet, 1C1I,
Parallel and 1erial!
Computer Case)ere is alaelleddiagram ofthe inside ofacomputerC!