Computer hardware

1. Introduction to Computing august29,2019
PangasinanState University
Lingayen,pangasinan
S,Y 2019-2020
Computer Background
The word "computer"wasfirstrecordedasbeingusedin1613 and originallywasusedto
describe a human performedcalculations or computations.The who definition of a computer remained
the same until the end of the 19th century, when the industrial revolutiongave rise to machineswhose
primarypurpose wascalculating.
I.Computer MainParts
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The CPU isthe "brains"of the computer.The central
processingunitprovidesthe calculationsand
manipulationof datasentfromthe user.Each time the
userclicksa key,executesanapplicationorbrowsesthe
Web,the CPU reads the code involvedandreturnsthe
response tothe user.The CPU workscloselywith
memory,whichisthe componentthatsendsstored
data to the unit.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
RAMis variable inacomputer.Oldercomputers
had onlya few dozenmegabytesof RAMinstalled.
Whenpersonal computersbecame popularinthe
1990s, computershad 32 megabytesof memory.
Motherboardsandsoftware now require atleastone
gigabyte tofunction.RAMcontainsthe information
duringthe time the computerison. Afterthe machine is
turnedoff,the informationinRAMislost.
Hard Drive
Unlike RAM,the hard drive storesdata even
afterthe machine isturnedoff. A hard drive isthe
storage unitfor the machine.Saveddocumentsand
applicationsare storedonthe hard drive using
magnetism.The harddrive ismade upof small platters
witha movinghead.The plattersspinasthe head
movesbackand forthto retrieve andstore data.

2. Introduction to Computing august29,2019
Video CardVideo Card
The video card provides the image seen on the
monitor.The videocard isattached to a monitorusinga
VGA cable. Some video cards have two monitor
connections.Thisallowsthe usertoattachtwomonitors
to the computer, so the desktop can be spread across
bothmonitorsforbetterusability.
Motherboard
Each componentisattachedtothe motherboard.
The motherboard receives power from the computer's
power supply. The motherboard allows all the
components to communicate, including the CPU. The
motherboardalsocontainscontrollers,whichare circuits
that helpthe operatingsystemworkwithhardware such
as the hard drive.
Printer
A printer is an external hardware output device
that takes the electronic data stored on a computer or
otherdevice andgeneratesahardcopyof it.Forexample,
if youcreatedareportonyourcomputer,youcouldprint
several copiestohandoutatastaff meeting.Printersare
one of the most popular computer peripherals and are
commonly used to print text and photos.The picture to
the rightisan example of aninkjetcomputerprinter,the
LexmarkZ605.
Monitor
The monitor is the piece of computer hardware
that displays the video and graphics information
generatedbythe computerthroughthe videocard.

3. Introduction to Computing august29,2019
keyboard
A computerkeyboardisone of the primaryinput
devices used with a computer. Similar to an electric
typewriter, a keyboard is composed of buttons that
create letters,numbers,andsymbols,aswell asperform
otherfunctions.The followingsectionsprovide more in-
depth information and answers to some of the more
frequentlyaskedquestionsaboutthe keyboard.
Mouse
A computermouse isahandheldhardware input
device that controls a cursor in a GUI (graphical user
interface) andcan move and selecttext,icons,files,and
foldersonyourcomputer.
Audio System
A computer speakeris an output hardware
device that connects to a computer to generate sound.
The signal usedtoproduce the soundthat comesfroma
computer speaker is created by the computer's sound
card. The picture showsthe HarmanKardonSound sticks
III2.1 Channel MultimediaSpeakerSystem.