THE CPU AND THE

PARTS OF IT
This resource has the definition of The CPU and the parts of it.
Recurso elaborado por el Ing. Cristian A. López, M.A
A partir de las fuentes siguientes:

Beal, V. (s/f). CPU - Central Processing Unit. Recuperado de http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/CPU.html

Christensson, P. (2014, July 11). CPU Definition. Recuperado de https://techterms.com

Esteras, S.R. (2010). Infotech English for Computer Users. Recuperado de

http://quegrande.org/apuntes/EI/OPT/IT/teoria/09-
10/infotech_english_for_computer_users_4th_ed_students_book.pdf

Fisher. T. (2017). What is a Power Supply Unit?. Recuperado de https://www.lifewire.com/power-supply-unit-

2618158

Video card. (2017). Recuperado de https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e-

7IAFBEWn4uSywMbWpJf_J6mxFXlZo0cjktaEqlf6M/edit#

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 CPU
Central Processing Unit
CPU (pronounced as separate letters) is the abbreviation for central processing unit.

Sometimes referred to simply as the central processor, but more commonly

called processor, the CPU is the brains of the computer where most calculations take
place. In terms of computing power, the CPU is the most important element of
a computer system.

Components of a CPU

The two typical components of a CPU include the following:

• The arithmetic logic unit (ALU), which performs arithmetic and logical operations.
• The control unit (CU), which extracts instructions from memory and decodes
and executes them, calling on the ALU when necessary.

NOTE: The terms "CPU" and "processor" are often used interchangeably. Some
technical diagrams even label individual processors as CPUs. While this verbiage is not
incorrect, it is more accurate (and less confusing) to describe each processing unit as a
CPU, while each processor within a CPU is a processing core.
 PARTS OF THE CPU

The case:

A computer case, also known as a computer chassis, tower, system unit, cabinet, base
unit, or simply case, is the enclosure that contains most of the components of a
computer

The power supply:

The power supply unit is the piece of

hardware that's used to convert the
power provided from the outlet into
usable power for the many parts inside
the computer case. It converts the

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alternating current (AC) into a
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continuous form of power that the
computer components need in order to run normally, called direct current (DC). It also
regulates overheating by controlling voltage, which may change automatically or
manually depending on the power supply.

The Bios:

BIOS (basic input/output system) is the program a

personal computer's microprocessor uses to get
the computer system started after you turn it on. It
also manages data flow between the computer's

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operating system and attached devices such as the hard disk, video adapter, keyboard,
mouse and printer.
The USB ports
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The Modem:
A modem is an external or internal device that
function is to transmit digital
communication lines. Traditional modems once used
frequently with dial-up networks convert analog data
from telephone lines into computer digital data.
Broadband modems transfer digital data between
A USB port is a standard cable connection interface
for personal computers and consumer electronics
devices. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus, an
industry standard for short-distance digital data
communications. USB ports allow USB devices to be
connected to each other with and transfer digital
data over USB cables. They can also supply electric
power across the cable to devices that need it. Both
wired and wireless versions of the USB standard
exist, although only the wired version involves USB
ports and cables.
data over
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 two digital devices.

The Fan Cooler:

Air-cooling with fans is one of the most widely practiced

ways of dissipating heat in computers. Fans are not only
easy to install and maintain, but are also an effective way
to remove heat from components and bring in cooler air,
thus maintaining a constant optimal temperature for
operation. Fan sizes, types, and placements play an
important role in the efficient dissipation of heat.

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The motherboard:

A motherboard is one of the most essential

parts of a computer system. It holds together
many of the crucial components of a computer,
including the central processing unit (CPU),
memory and connectors for input and output
devices. The base of a motherboard consists of
a very firm sheet of non-conductive material,
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of copper or aluminum foil, referred to as
traces, are printed onto this sheet. These traces are very narrow and form the circuits
between the various components. In addition to circuits, a motherboard contains a
number of sockets and slots to connect the other components.

The sound card:

The motherboard on most computer systems has an integrated sound card, which is
often sufficient for many users. However,
to get higher quality sound you can
upgrade to a separate sound card, which
uses better and more expensive
components. Audio files on a computer
consist of digital data just like any other
file on a computer. Sounds we can hear
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air - sounds are analog. The primary
function of a sound card is to translate between digital and analog information, just like
a video card

The video card:

The Video card is an expansion card which

generates a feed of output images to a
display (such as a computer monitor).
Frequently, these are advertised as discrete
or dedicated graphics cards, emphasizing the
distinction between these and integrated
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graphics.
The processor:
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accomplish these tasks.
The memory:
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the CPU loads an application program – such as a word processing or page layout
The most important component of a computer is
the central processing unit, or CPU, also called the
processor. The processor acts as the computer's
brain, running programs and sending and receiving
signals to attached devices to keep the computer
running. Whether you use your computer or mobile
device to send email, take pictures, post online or
browse the Internet, your processor handles all the
data and runs all the programs that enable you to
People in the computer industry commonly
use the term “memory” to refer to RAM
(Random Access Memory). A computer uses
RAM to hold temporary instructions and data
needed to complete tasks. This enables the
computer’s CPU (Central Processing Unit), to
access instructions and data stored in memory
very quickly. A good example of this is when
program – into memory, thereby allowing the application program to work as quickly
and efficiently as possible. In practical terms, having the program loaded into memory
means you can get work done more quickly with less time spent waiting for the
computer to perform tasks.

The expansion slots:

An expansion slot is a socket on the motherboard that is used to insert an expansion

card (or circuit board), which provides additional
features to a computer such as video, sound,
advanced graphics, Ethernet or memory.

The expansion card has an edge connector that fits

precisely into the expansion slot as well as a row of
contacts that is designed to establish an electrical
connection between the motherboard and the
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circuits. Depending on the form factor of the case large.jpg

and motherboard, a computer system generally can

have anywhere from one to seven expansion slots.

The battery:

Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor
batteries power basic input-output system settings.
BIOS settings control things such as loading your
operating system, managing system memory and

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operating the keyboard.

Every action that is completed by the computer before your operating system loads is
accomplished by the BIOS. Some functions controlled by the BIOS include verifying
that all the computer hardware is working properly, managing communications
between the computer and its peripherals, such as the printer and monitor, and making
sure the system clock and computer drives are working properly.

Most CMOS batteries are made out of lithium. Lithium batteries, also called CR2032
cell batteries, are similar to the types of batteries that are found in watches. To replace
a CMOS battery, turn off and unplug the computer, remove any cables, and open the
computer case. The CMOS battery is on the computer’s motherboard

The transmission cables:

Data cables are a crucial part of any

computing system because they
facilitate communication between the
different hardware components. Data
cables, such as Ethernet cables, are
used to transfer information between
numerous computers in a network.

Ilustración 14 Extraída el 11 de abril del 2017 de Peripheral devices, such as cameras,

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connected to a computer through a data cable. Data cables form the basis of guided
transmission media. USB, SATA, Coaxial and IDE cables are all examples of data cables.

The hard disk:

A hard disk drive, also known as a hard drive or

HDD, is used to store data long term. Data can
include the computer's operating system and
applications as well as personal files including
photographs, documents and music. When a
computer is booted up, or turned on, the
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system, such as Windows, OSX or Linux.