The document discusses various internal computer components, including the CPU, motherboard, power supply, cooling options, graphics card, RAM, and network card. It provides details on what each component does and how it functions within the computer system. It also covers peripheral devices like printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, and speakers.

1. Computer
Systems
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2. Backup Devices
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3. Internal Computer Components
CPU & Heat Sink
Motherboard
Power Supply & Cabling
Cooling Options
Graphics Card
RAM
Wireless Network Card (NIC)
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4. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) controls
all of the commands of the computer and all
of its actions. The time it takes for these
actions to take place all depends on the
speed of the processor which is measured in
Ghz, with the higher the number indicating
a faster processor. Most processors have
more than one core within them which
allows them to process data a lot quicker,
with gaming computers using quad core or
more to get that enhanced performance.
The heat sink is located on top of the
processor and the main job of that is to
extract the heat that the processor makes
away from it, preventing it from overeating
and slowing down.
CPU & Heat Sink
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5. The motherboard is the skeleton of the
computer as it links all of the components
together, allowing them to communicate
with each other making an effective
system. The power for the motherboard is
provided by a 24-pin atx connector from
the psu (power supply unit) which powers
all of the connections on the motherboard,
including the processor, RAM, any
graphics cards unless they have separate
power from the psu and other components.
The motherboard can come in different
forms, depending on the computer or
proprietary devices it is going into. The
most common forms are ATX, Micro-ATX Click the picture to show a basic
and E-ATX. motherboard diagram and layout
Motherboard
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6. A. PCI Slot
B. PCI-E 16x Slot
C. PCI-E 1x Slot
D. Northbridge
E. ATX 12V 2X
F. CPU-Fan
G. Socket
H. Memory Slots
I. ATX Power Connector
J. IDE Connection
K. Southbridge
L. SATA Connections
M. Front Panel Connections
N. FDD Connection
O. External USB Connections
P. CMOS battery

7. The PSU (Power Supply Unit) powers the
whole pc. The power is uses is measured
in Watts and the higher this value, the
higher the wattage the psu has. The power
supply comes with many different types
of connectors such as SATA, Berg and
Molex connectors that are used to power
the different components within the pc.
Typically, the higher the power, the more
connectors the power comes with as
standard as it is able to power more
things. But gamers use power supplies
within the range of 700-1200 watts as this
will enable them to use higher end
components which need that extra power
to run effectively.
Power Supply & Cabling
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8. Cooling options
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9. Air cooling is the most common way of
cooling a computer down as it is fairly simple
and it only uses fans to either bring colder air
into the case or to extract the warm air out of
the case. The fans are measured in mm
(millimetres) with the common sizes being
40mm, 80mm, 120mm or sometimes 200mm.
The speed of these are measured in RPM
(revolutions per Minute) and the higher this
number is, the faster the fan is spinning
therefore more air is being moved. This comes
at the consequence or a higher power output
being needed. With a number of fans being
placed into a case, can be a good cooling
system as it will create a simultaneous airflow
which is constantly moving air, keeping the
components cool.
Air Cooling
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10. Water cooling is the new upcoming way
of cooling down you pc. It is mainly used
in high-end gaming pc’s because it keeps
the processor and other components at a
much lower temperature compared to fan
cooling, therefore this allows gamers to
overclock there processors, running them
at higher speeds which require that extra
cooling. The cooling liquid is ran through
pipes and is powered by a pump which
forces the liquid through the pipes.
Sometimes fans and water cooling are
combined as radiators can be used, so that
the cold water passes through them which
enables the fans to pull in cold air through
them, providing even more cooling.
Water Cooling
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11. The graphics card work inline with the CPU to
develop the images that appear on your monitor
via the VGA cable. Some graphics cards are
integrated into the motherboard whereas some
can be installed separately if you want to upgrade
it. The higher the graphics card memory, the
more it is then able to process and the better the
images will be that are produced. The CPU sends
the information in binary or in the appropriate
format about the programs the computer is using
and then the graphics card will process this and
turn that information into an image which then
appears on your monitor. This action is
performed around 60 times a second (60Hz)
which is known as a refresh rate.
Graphics Card
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12. When we use more than one program at once, we
end up minimizing one of the windows until we
are ready to use it, ever thought what happens to
that program? Well it is stored in the RAM
(Random Access Memory). And the main
function of RAM is to store the minimized
programs so that it reduces the load on the
processor, and when you maximize that
program, it is then transferred back onto the
processor which then deals with any further
requests. The RAM can come in many different
form factors as laptops, netbooks and desktop pc
all require different types of RAM because of
their motherboards. The most well known type is
DDR RAM. The storage of RAM is measured in
Mb and Gb, and the higher the value, the higher
the performance.
RAM
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13. A network card is what is used to provide your
computer with wireless internet connectivity.
There are different forms of network card to
suit different purposes. If you have a desktop
pc then the most common NIC to use will
plug into the motherboard and it will be
wireless with an antenna. Another option
which is more portable is a USB Dongle
which provides network connectivity if you
are on the move around town or abroad etc.
Wireless NICs use IEEE 802.11 as it is the
standard for wireless networking, with
different letters after this standard
representing the different speeds. Click below
to view the these standards.
IEEE 802.11 Table
Network Card
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14. Standard 802.11a 802.11b 802.11g 802.11n
Speed 54Mbps 11Mbps 54Mbps 100Mbps
Range 150ft 300ft 300ft 300ft
Frequency 5GHz 2.4GHz 2.4GHz 2.4-5GHz
SSID, MAC Filtering, WEP, WPA (TKIP), WPA2
Security
(AES)
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15. Computer Peripherals
Basic Information
Printers and Scanners
Keyboard and Mice
Gaming Peripherals
Speakers
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16. Computer Peripherals are
extra devices that can be
connected to any computer
system. There are many
different types of
peripherals that range from
the simplest mouse to a
gaming keyboard or
printers and scanners.
Basic Information
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17. Printers and scanners provide input and output functions. Where printers provide an
output function of printing work that has been digitally made onto paper whereas
scanners scan the paper and produce a digital copy of what is on the paper. Printers
come in many different forms as some are used for different things. The most
common types of printers used today are all-in-one printers and laser printers as these
are the most efficient. All-in-one printers are used within homes are they are small
and can perform printing and scanning/copying functions. Laser printers use toners
and lasers which imprint the image onto a rotating drum which then prints the image
onto paper.
Printers and Scanners
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18. Keyboard and mice are the most common peripheral as they are used to control
the computer system with every command that is carried out. The mouse is used
to control and to enter programs and the keyboard is used to enter commands,
web addresses etc. The keyboard responds to your actions using an IRQ table
(Interrupt Request) which is pre-assigned so when you click a key, it reads the
IRG which can determine what key you pressed and what action it takes after
that.
Keyboard and Mouse
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19. Gaming peripherals are used in combination with the game type you are playing.
There are many different game types and there are also specific peripherals for
them. For example, flight games use joysticks and flying instruments whereas first
person shooters or fighting games are able to use controllers that plug into the USB
ports. Other gaming devices can include a specially deigned keyboard or mouse
which is designed to improve the experience in specific ways.
Gaming peripherals
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20. Speakers are used to produce sound
whilst using your system. This
could be because you are listening
to music, watching films or playing
a game and using sound for a better
experience. The speakers use an
AUX cable which plugs into the
audio out port in the motherboard.
Most sound systems in todays
market use one main subwoofer to
provide the bass sound and then
using other speakers which can be
placed around the area to provide a
‘surround sound’ effect, to improve
the experience and quality of the
sound
Speakers
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21. Backup Devices
Hard Drive Partition
External Hard Drive
Data Disk
Flash Drive
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22. A hard drive partition is where you can split the hard drive
into different sections and store different things on each
section. Partitions can be created at the first setup of the
hard drive (Formatting) or can be completed in the BIOS.
The Primary partition is the partition that is in use all of
the time and normally has the operating system stored
onto it. Any other partitions that are created are called
logical or extended partitions. These can be used for a
number of things. The main reason are to use it as a
backup partition, storing all your files in a safe place just
incase of the other partition becoming corrupted. Another Click to Enlarge
popular choice is to use it for another operating system,
For e.g. if you have a mac pc, some programs that you
may want to use are only compatible with Windows,
therefore windows may have to be installed to use the
program on that pc.
Hard Drive Partition
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24. An external hard drive is basically a hard drive, but within casing and with a
usb or SATA connector and can be used in a similar way to a flash
drive, however an external hard drives contain a lot more storage space. The
most common size is 500gb as this is able to store a lot more files compared to
a flash drive. The disadvantage is that they are a little bit bigger therefore not as
portable and there also more expensive than the flash drive.
External Hard Drive
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25. Data disks can be used to store data whether it’s a game,
music or general computer files. The storage is measured in
MB and GB (Megabytes and Gigabytes) and the default sizes
are:
• 512mb
• 1Gb
• 4GB
• 8GB
• 25GB (Blue-ray)
Data Disks
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26. A flash drive is a small storage device
that is very portable and can be placed
into pockets to use on many machines
to transport work, files etc. For. E.g. a
student would complete a piece of
work at school, store it onto the flash
drive and take it hoke to then use on
the computer at home. These can also
come in various sizes ranging from
512mb to 64gb.
Flash Drive
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