Basic Parts of Computer Essay

IntroductionAlmost anyone occasions a electronic reckoner daily, but some(prenominal) dont do it how a data processor works or all told(a) the different individual raises that fudge it up. In fact, many people erroneously timbre at a electronic data processor and call it a CPU or a straining calculate, when in fact these be just devil sepa put of a figurer. When these individual brokers ar committed together they create a realize and working device with an all encompassing name of calculating machine. As a computer user it is im larboardant that you overhear a raw material perceptiveness of the core components that acquire up your computer. This knowledge pull up stakes prove valuable if you decide to upgrade your computer or if a piece of computer hardw argon breaks and you pauperism to purchase a replacement. The purpose of this is to discuss the basic pieces in every computer and their become.HISTORY OF COMPUTERThe computer as we know it today had i ts beginning with a 19th century English mathematics professor name Charles Babbage. He marked the Analytical Engine and it was this design that the basic framework of the computers of today are based on. Generally speaking, computers atomic spell 50 be classified into troika generations. Each generation lasted for a trusted period of fourth dimension,and each gave us either a new and amend computer or an improvement to the existing computer. First generation 1937 1946 In 1937 the first electronic digital computer was create by Dr. jakes V. Atanas take out and Clifford Berry. It was called the Atanasoff-Berry electronic computer (ABC). In 1943 an electronic computer name the Colossus was built for the military. Other maturements continued until in 1946 the first general purpose digital computer, the Electronic Numerical Integrator and electronic computer (ENIAC) was built. It is said that this computer weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 void tubes which was utilize for processing.When this computer was turned on for the first time lights dim in pieces of Philadelphia. Computers of this generation could barely per category single task, and they had no direct system. Second generation 1947 1962 This generation of computers apply transistors instead of vacuum tubes which were more(prenominal) reliable. In 1951 the first computer for commercial use was introduced to the prevalent the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC 1). In 1953 the International Business mold (IBM) 650 and 700 series computers made their mark in the computer world. During this generation of computers over 100 computer programming languages were developed, computers had memory and operating systems.Storage media much(prenominal) as tape and disc were in use overly were printers for appearput. tercet generation 1963 present The invention of integrated circuit brought us the troika generation of computers. With this invention computers became smaller, much f ederal agencyful more reliable and they are able to legislate many different programs at the same time. In1980 Microsoft phonograph record Operating System (MS-Dos) was born and in 1981 IBM introduced the personal computer (PC) for kinsperson and office use. Three years later Apple gave us the mack computer with its icon driven interface and the 90s gave us Windows operating system. As a result of the non-homogeneous improvements to the development of the computer we deal seen the computer being used in all areas of life. It is a very serviceable tool that allow for continue to experience new development as time passes.The Outside of your ComputerWhen you look at your computer what you are seeing is actually the computer slickness. Inside the occurrence are all of the individual components that when have-to doe withed together create your computer. On the outside of the case you exit see confused external interfaces that you ordure mass devices into as well as the a bility to access your optical devices such as your CD and DVD drives.Front of a dell Inspiron DesktopBack of a Dell Inspiron Desktop On the front of the computer you leave alone commonly describe a CD or DVD drive that sack be opened by pressing a small button come out the door of the drive. This leave alone eject the drive tray where you faeces place a CD or DVD plow. When you press the button again, the tray get out slide sticker into your computer so that you brook access it from within your operating system. On the front of the case, you will also truely find USB fashions and media readers. A USB port is a small opening on the front of your computer that allows you to male pound sterling a USB device or cable into it. You screwing usually lay if a port on your computer is USB as it will gather in the logo nigh to it. Common devices that you would plug into USB ports are iPod and iPads, rack drives, and external hard drives.The new(prenominal)wise common po rts that you can find are for television camera memory media. These media readers allow you to remove the memory pester from your camera and insert it into the computer so you can access the considers stored on it. On the blanket of the case are conjunctives that are typically only used when you assemble your computer for the first time. These connectors allow you to connect external devices such as your printer, monitor, mouse, key shape up, and speakers. The back connections will also include an Ethernet port that will allow you to connect your computer to your ne devilrk. Last, but non least, thither will also be more USB ports forthcoming in the event that you hire more USB connections than are available on the front of your computer.The Inside of your ComputerNow that you know how to connect your various external components to your computer case, permits take a look at the deep down of a computer as this is where the magic really happens. To open your case, you will destiny to typically unscrew a side panel or press a button on the bottom of the computer to open the computer like a clamshell. Once you can see inside a computer, you will see various individual components connected via cables or blocked directly into a large board attached to the side of the case. This board is the motherboard and is used to connect all the individual devices inside your case into a single computer. These individual devices and the motherboard they plug into can be seen in the image below.As you can see from the image above, there are various components all connected to each other. Every device must be connected to the antecedent supply unit , which provides electrical energy to various components. The improver control panel game, each per fleshing their own function, are inserted to the motherboard so that they can pass along with it. When all of these components are powerful connected to each other, they can wherefore communicate with each other and the computer will operate properly. In the next section we will discuss each individual component and what function they serve.The individual parts of your computerAs already stated, a computer is nothing more than various individual hardware components connected to each through cables and the motherboard. These devices are therefore given electricity by the part supply unit so that they can function. In this section we will discuss the individual components and the function that each performs.* Computer partThe computer case, also called a chassis, houses and protects other core parts of the computer. Computer cases come in different sizes and shapes in order to accommodate the various environments that they will be stored in. These shapes are * dominate A tower case is vertical and usually sits on the floor. A tower case comes in a mini, mid, and full size, with the larger sizes being able to hold more components. * Desktop A horizontal case that is designed to rest on a shelf or sit on your desk with the monitor on top of it. * Rackmount Rackmount cases are horizontal and are typically used for servers. These servers will then mount in a rack so that there are stacks of computers in one computer rack.Full Tower CaseRackmount CaseComputer cases also need to support the largest component that resides inside it, which is typically the motherboard. The motherboard can come in many different shapes and sizes, called form factors, and the specifications on a computer case will state which form factors can fit inside it. near all new-made cases birth* powerfulness switch * Indicator lights such as magnetic disk bodily function or network activity. * Back panel that contains holes to expose external ports. * admixture framework to house the PSU and hard disk/optical drives * Mounting points to pander the motherboard * Vented panels to allow line of merchandiseflow through the caseDepending on the model, nearly cases have other features as well such as phone jacks or USB ports.* MotherboardThe motherboard, or mobo for short, is perhaps the most critical piece of the computer. It is a relatively large, rectangular board filled with various circuits, chips , and slots that you plug things into The motherboard serves two functions. First, the motherboard is home to a number of chips that dictate how the various components of the computer will talk to each other. It also has fussy slots that allow you to plug working out cards in that add new or modify functionality to your computer. Secondly, and perhaps most heavyly, the motherboard is the connecting point for all of the other pieces of the computer. Without the motherboard, the different parts cannot communicate with each other, and the computer cannot function.Computer MotherboardMotherboards come in a variety of sizes, or form factors, such as ATX or little ATX. Generally speaking, the larger the form factor the more devices can be attached to it. Motherboards connect with the other devices in your computer using a set of special slots and connectors called ports that are located on the top and back edge of the motherboard. The ports on the back edge of the motherboard protrude out of the back panel of the computer case and allow you to connect external devices to the computer. Virtually all groundbreaking motherboards have one or more USB ports and an Ethernet port mounted externally to allow connection to the internet and external devices. Additionally, all modern motherboards contain at least one IDE or SATA port to allow the connection of a hard drive. * Central Processing Unit(CPU)The telephone exchange processing unit, or CPU, is at the core of every computer. Functioning as the brain of the computer, the CPU performs basic mathematical and logical functions as instructed by a computer program. The CPU is located on the motherboard and is connected to it through a special port called the CPU socket. When the CPU is in use it generates heats, which must be transferred away from CPU chip so that it is not damaged. This is accomplished through the use of a heat-sink and fan which draws the heat out of the CPU chip and transfers it into the case instead.computers CPUA CPU has a maximum revivify at which it can safely process instructions. This focal ratio is called the measure rate and is careful in bike (Hz). most CPUs will allow a user to raise the clock rate beyond the speed at which the CPU is safely rated. This is called overclocking, and can provide change magnitude computer performance at the cost of voltage system instability or damage. Due to the complexity of overclocking and the potentially blasting side effects it can cause, overclocking is a technique not recommended for total or professional computer users. A relatively new development in the field of CPUs is the multi-core processor. Having many processing cores in the CPU effectively multiplies its potential by allowing the CPU to simultaneously process as many instructions as it has cores. However, the OS must be designed to make use of multiple cores for this ability to take effect. The CPU of a modern PC will likely have anywhere from two to octad cores* part Supply UnitAll parts of a computer require electricity in order to operate. The part of the computer that provides this electricity is called the power supply unit, or PSU. The PSU receives electricity from an external source, which is usually a groyne outlet, and changes it into power that the other parts of the computer can use.Power SupplyA PSU is necessary for two reasons. First, computers require direct current, or DC, power. However, electricity is supplied by power companies in alternating current, or AC, form. The PSU takes the AC electricity and converts it into a DC form so that the computer can use it. The second reason is that computer components use electrical power of relatively low voltage, while the electricity that comes out of a wall socket is o f a significantly higher voltage. The PSU converts the higher voltage energy into a low voltage form that the computer can properly use. Power supplies are classified by the maximum amount of watts, such as 500 or 650 watts, which can be supplied to your computer system. The amount of electricity that is required to power a computer depends on what components the computer is using. For example, if you are using a high-end processor and a high-end telly card your power you may need a more powerful PSU to support these power hungry devices. on that pointfore, when buying new components for a computer you should always look at the specifications for these devices to determine how much power they need and whether or not your PSU can support it.* Hard Disk DriveThe hard disk drive, or HDD, is the primary source of secondary storage in modern computers. Secondary storage is any device where selective information is stored when it is not mandatory for immediate use. An HDD uses magnetis m to record information on a rotating disk of magnetic material. It uses a moveable arm containing a device called a drive head to read from and write to different portions of the disk.. Since the disk mud magnetized even after power is removed, information is not scattered when you turn off the computer. whiz downside of HDDs is that they are very slow compared to other devices in the computer. This is because the drive must position the arm and disk in the shed light on position in order to retrieve a fussy piece of information.Hard Disk DriveModern HDDs have three major variables. The first is the drive capacity. This is how much information the drive can hold. Drive capacity is measured in either gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB). one terabyte is equal to one thousand gigabytes. The second variable is the rotation speed. This is how quickly the disk inside the HDD can rotate, and is measured in rotations per scrap (RPM). The faster the disk spins, the more quickly informa tion can be retrieved from it. The final variable is the causa of interface the HDD uses. The interface is the part of the HDD that connects to the motherboard and is how the HDD sends and receives information. approximately modern HDDs use SATA or SAS interfaces, although HDDs using IDE interfaces are still more or slight common. It is important to know which interfaces your motherboard supports when purchasing a new HDD. A recent addition to the personal computer market is a applied science called a solid state drive, or SSD. While not technically an HDD, SSDs fill the same functions. The difference between HDDs and SSDs is that while an HDD uses a whirl disk to store data, an SSD uses special microchips. Due to this, SSDs are less susceptible to physical shocks such as impacts and falls compared to a HDD. Additionally, SSDs run silently and can access data more quickly. However, SSDs have a higher cost per gigabyte than their HDD cousins do.* optic Disk DrivesAn optical dis k drive is a component that uses a laser to read from or write to an optical disk. Examples of optical disks include CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Rays. An optical disk drive writes to a disk by using a laser to etch tiny grooves into the surface of the disk. The disk is read by using a different, low-power laser to detect those grooves. Modern optical disk drives usually have reading and writing (burning) capability. Additionally, most optical drives are backwards compatible, which bureau that a new technology can read the media from an older technology. For example, aBlu-Ray drive can also play DVDs and CDs.Optical DriveOptical disk drive speed is measured differently than HDD speed. While HDD speed is measured in the number of RPMs, optical drive speed is measured by the maximum rate at which data can be read from the disk. For each technology (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray) there is an industry-wide standard data rate that serves as a benchmark by which drive speeds are measured. The speed listed is put in terms of multiples of that base speed. For example, the base speed for Blu-Ray technology is 6.74 megabytes per second. Therefore, a drive rated at 52x can read data at a maximum rate of 52 x 6.74 = 350.48 megabytes per second.* Cooling DevicesAs a computer runs, it generates a lot of heat. One or more chilling devices are part of any modern computer in order to keep the machine from overheating. The two types of cooling devices that are in almost every modern computer are heat sinks and cooling fans. Heat sinks are small metal structures that conduct heat well. They function by absorbing the heat produced by a component and expeditiously releasing it into the air, or a liquid in certain special situations, similarly to how the radiator in your car works. Cooling fans work by removing secure air from components or heat sinks and pulling in cool air to replace it. Fans are available in a variety of sizes that determine how much air they can move within your case. When adding a fan, it is important to ensure that you purchase a fan that is compatible with your motherboard, since different fans have different miscellaneas of power connectors.CPU Heat Sink and Fan rough extremely high-end PCs have liquid cooling systems which use tubes of flowing wet or coolant instead of or in addition to cooling fans. These systems are more effective, quieter, and more efficient than air cooling systems. However, they are complex, expensive, and wait the danger of a coolant leak which can damage the system. For a typical PC, air cooling systems are sufficiently effective.* MemoryRandom ingress Memory, or get, is the part of the computer where information is stored while it is being used by the computers processor, operating system, programs, and other devices on your computer. pull is designed so that any of the information stored on it can be read in any order without losing performance. This makes RAM faster and more efficient to store data compared to slower de vices such as an HDD or CD-ROM.Computer MemoryWhen you are using your computer it copies information that it is presently using, such as parts of the operating system or soon running programs, into RAM so that it can work faster. The more RAM that the computer has, the less often it needs to get information off of the much slower HDD. To use a comparison, think of your HDD as a well. The information on the HDD is the water in the well, and the RAM is a bucket. The larger your bucket, the fewer trips you have to make to the well to get the water you need.One characteristic of RAM is that it is volatile. This means that when you turn off the computer, any information in the RAM is erased. To protect against loss of information, an operating system will copy any data that it needs to the HDD so that it is available the next time you start the computer. RAM comes in different speeds and types. When you upgrade your computers memory, it is important that you ensure that you choose a s peed and type of RAM that is compatible with a computers motherboard. A groovy tool for finding out what kind of memory your computer uses is authoritatives Memory Advisory.* Expansion card gameAn amplification card is a device that is inserted into special slots on the motherboard and provides the computer with additional functions, resources, or features. There are a number of different kinds of elaborateness cards available two of the most common being video cards, which provide change magnitude graphics processing ability, and sound cards, which enhance the audio ability of the computer. Some expansion cards such as video cards also include their own processor, memory, and even cooling devices such as fans or heat sinks. When purchasing expansion cards there are a number of important factors to consider. First and foremost is the type of connection that the expansion card requires.There are a number of different standards for expansion slots, and motherboards have only a li mited number of each kind of slot. Before purchasing you need to ensure that your motherboard has the required slots available for use. another(prenominal) important factor is the size of the expansion card. The card needs to be able to fit inside your computer case, and should not make spot with any other parts of the computer except for the motherboard. Finally, you should ensure that your PSU can output enough power to support all your connected expansion cards. If the PSU cannot supply the computer with enough electricity then one or more of your devices will fail to function. Two common types of expansion cards are sound and video graphic cards* Sound card gameSound cards are a kind of expansion card which deals with audio input and output. Sound cards generally fill two functions. First, sound cards enhance the sound processing capability of the computer, allowing for the creation and output of more complex sounds. Secondly, sound cards often deliver input and output ports that allow for other audio devices such as microphones or speakers to be connected to it.Sound Card* image CardsA video card is a type of expansion card which increases the computers ability to handle different kinds of visual output. Video cards have two main functions. First, while nearly all modern motherboards have some basic graphics capabilities built in, a video card can handle graphics issues much more effectively than the graphic chips built into the motherboard. As a result, a video card allows for the creation and display of more complex and detailed images without lay an additional strain on the CPU. Additionally, since many video cards have their own memory, this leaves more of the general computer memory available for other purposes. Second, many video cards add additional functions to the computer such as video capture, a TV-tuner which allows you to watch TV on your computer, or the ability to connect multiple monitors to the computer.Video Graphics Card* impertin ent PortsAs mentioned above in the motherboard section, a number of connectors on the motherboard are accessible from the back panel of the computer case. These connections are called external ports because they can be accessed from outside the computer case. There are a number of different kinds of connections available that include * VGA or DVI Connector- These ports are used for connecting a monitor or other display device to your computer. * Ethernet Port This port allows you to connect your computer to a network or the Internet. * HDMI Allows you to connect your computer a High Definition display or TV. * eSATA These ports allow you to connect an external SATA hard drive to your computer. * USB Port A common connector for external devices. More information about USB ports can be effect below.External Ports on the back of a computerVirtually every modern PC also includes one or more USB, or Universal Serial Bus, ports. There are two primary kinds of USB ports in use right n ow USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. USB 3.0 ports can move data much more quickly than USB 2.0 ports. However, the connected device must be designed to take advantage of USB 3.0 technology in order to use the increased speed. USB ports and devices are both backwards and forwards compatible. This means that you can plug any standard USB device into any standard USB port, and the device will function.However, if the USB version of the device and the port do not match then the device can only transfer data to and from the PC at a maximum rate set by the lower of the two versions. For example, if you connect a USB 3.0 device to a USB 2.0 port, the device will only transfer data at a maximum rate of 60 megabytes per second, which is the maximum rate for USB 2.0 technology. When purchasing an external device such as a monitor, keyboard, mouse, or printer it is important to ensure that you have the correct kind of port available for use. Otherwise you will be ineffectual to use the device.ConclusionAs you can see, a computer is more than that box sitting on the side of your desk. In fact it is a very complex machine comprised of numerous parts, cables, and devices that all need to properly work together in order for the computer to operate correctly. Having this basic understanding of the parts of your computer is important for any computer user. Whether you need to purchase a new one, upgrade an existing one, or cleanse a broken one, you now have the knowledge to understand what you are looking at.