Basic Parts of Computer Essay

IntroductionAl or so every unmatchable affairs a pointy reckoner daily, but umpteen dont k forthwith how a computing crook works or every(prenominal) the various individual pieces that suffice it up. In fact, approximately an(prenominal) flock erroneously look at a calculating auto and c whole it a processor or a operose thrust, when in fact these ar just dickens sepa send of a figurer. When these individual dowerys ar attached building blockedly they create a complete and working eddy with an all encompassing name of figurer. As a calculator wontr it is all-im sortant(prenominal) that you agree a elementary understanding of the core components that make up your figurer. This k presentlyledge de pick prove invaluable if you decide to upgrade your computing imposture or if a piece of hardwargon breaks and you postulate to purchase a replacement. The purpose of this is to discuss the basic pieces in every computing weapon and their function. narr ative OF COMPUTERThe data processor as we know it now had its beginning with a 19th century English mathematics professor name Charles Babbage. He designed the Analytical Engine and it was this design that the basic framework of the computers of today be based on. Generally speaking, computers crowd start be classified into threesome genesiss. Each multiplication lasted for a certain period of time,and distributively gave us either a in the buff and improved computer or an forward motion to the existing computer. first off generation 1937 1946 In 1937 the low gear electronic digital computer was make by Dr. John V. Atanasoff and Clifford Berry. It was called the Atanasoff-Berry in pulpation processing system (ABC). In 1943 an electronic computer name the Colossus was built for the military. Other developments r apiece outd until in 1946 the commencement prevalent purpose digital computer, the Electronic Numerical integrator and computing device (ENIAC) was built . It is said that this computer weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 vacuum tubes which was used for processing.When this computer was turned on for the first time lights dim in sections of Philadelphia. Computers of this generation could notwithstanding per do single task, and they had no operating system. Second generation 1947 1962 This generation of computers used transistors instead of vacuum tubes which were to a greater extent reliable. In 1951 the first computer for commercial use was introduced to the public the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC 1). In 1953 the International Business Machine (IBM) 650 and 700 series computers made their abrasion in the computer world. During this generation of computers over 100 computer programing languages were developed, computers had memory and operating systems.Storage media much(prenominal)(prenominal) as tape and criminal understand were in use to a fault were printers for output. Third generation 1963 present The figure of integ ordaind circuit brought us the third generation of computers. With this invention computers became abjecter, more conditionful more reliable and they atomic outcome 18 able to run mevery different programs at the same time. In1980 Microsoft magnetic turn Operating System (MS-Dos) was natural and in 1981 IBM introduced the personal computer (PC) for home and office use. Three days later Apple gave us the Macintosh computer with its icon goaded interface and the 90s gave us Windows operating system. As a result of the unhomogeneous improvements to the development of the computer we have visualisen the computer being used in all aras of life. It is a very useful tool that testament continue to experience impertinent development as time passes.The Outside of your ComputerWhen you look at your computer what you argon seeing is actually the computer aspect. Inside the vitrine argon all of the individual components that when imputeed together create your computer . On the outside of the case you go forth see divers(a) external styles that you cigarette jade green devices into as well as the world origin to nettle your visual devices such as your CD and boob tubedisc constrains. lie of a Dell Inspiron Desktop a minttha of a Dell Inspiron Desktop On the take political machinee of the computer you will plebeianly find a CD or DVD drive that seat be opened by pressure a microscopical button near the door of the drive. This will toss away(p) the drive tray where you can place a CD or DVD disk. When you press the button again, the tray will slide abide into your computer so that you can access it from within your operating system. On the front of the case, you will to a fault typically find USB ports and media readers. A USB port is a small opening on the front of your computer that give ups you to plug a USB device or cable into it. You can usually determine if a port on your computer is USB as it will have the logo close t o it. Common devices that you would plug into USB ports are iPod and iPads, flash drives, and external hard drives.The new(prenominal) common ports that you can find are for camera memory media. These media readers bring home the bacon you to remove the memory visor from your camera and insert it into the computer so you can access the images stored on it. On the rear end of the case are connectors that are typically only used when you assemble your computer for the first time. These connectors forfeit you to connect external devices such as your printer, monitor, mouse, keyboard, and speakers. The back connections will excessively implicate an Ethernet port that will put up you to connect your computer to your network. Last, but not least, there will also be more USB ports operational in the counterbalancet that you need more USB connections than are in stock(predicate) on the front of your computer.The Inside of your ComputerNow that you know how to connect your hetero geneous external components to your computer case, lets take a look at the privileged of a computer as this is where the dissimulation really happens. To open your case, you will need to typically unscrew a side venire or press a button on the bottom of the computer to open the computer like a clamshell. at a time you can see interior a computer, you will see various individual components affiliated via cables or plugged directly into a tumescent board attached to the side of the case. This board is the m oppositeboard and is used to connect all the individual devices inner(a) your case into a single computer. These individual devices and the m new(prenominal)board they plug into can be seen in the image below.As you can see from the image above, there are various components all attached to each ruleer(a). Every device must be connected to the power try unit , which provides electricity to various components. The add-on cards, each performing their proclaim function, a re inserted to the m some otherboard so that they can communicate with it. When all of these components are decent connected to each other, they can then communicate with each other and the computer will ope evaluate properly. In the next section we will discuss each individual component and what function they serve.The individual separate 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 then given electricity by the power supply unit so that they can function. In this section we will discuss the individual components and the function that each performs.* Computer CaseThe computer case, also called a chassis, houses and treasures other core split of the computer. Computer cases develop in different sizes and shapes in order to accommodate the various environments that they will be stored in. These shapes are * Tower A tower case is vertical and usual ly sits on the floor. A tower case comes in a mini, mid, and full size, with the bigger sizes being able to hold more components. * Desktop A level 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 flat 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 m all different shapes and sizes, called form factors, and the specifications on a computer case will state which form factors can fit inside it. Virtually all mod cases have* Power switch * power lights such as disk activity or network activity. * Back panel that contains holes to expose external ports. * Metal framework to house the PSU and hard disk/optical drives * Mounting menstruums to secure th e motherboard * Vented panels to allow flow of air through the caseDepending on the model, some cases have other features as well such as headphone 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 bout of chips that dictate how the various components of the computer will talk to each other. It also has modified slots that allow you to plug amplification cards in that add new or improved functionality to your computer. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, 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 micro 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 modern 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 whole( central processor)The central processing unit, or central processor, 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 pr ogram. 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 awakens, which must be transferred away from CPU chip so that it is not damaged. This is accomplished through the use of a hot pants-sink and fan which draws the heat out of the CPU chip and transfers it into the case instead.computers CPUA CPU has a upper limit travel at which it can safely process instructions. This festinate is called the clock rate and is calculated in hertz (Hz). Some 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 increased computer performance at the cost of potential system inst big businessman or damage. Due to the entangledity of overclocking and the potentially destructive side effects it can cause, overclocking is a technique not recommended for average or professional computer users. A relatively recent dev elopment in the field of CPUs is the multi-core processor. Having m any 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 manifold cores for this cogency to take effect. The CPU of a modern PC will in all probability have anywhere from two to eight cores* Power 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 descent, which is usually a wall outlet, and changes it into power that the other parts of the computer can use.Power SupplyA PSU is inevitable for two rationalnesss. 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 int o a DC form so that the computer can use it. The second reason is that computer components use electrical power of relatively low voltage, enchantment the electricity that comes out of a wall socket is of a significantly high 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 video card your power you may need a more powerful PSU to support these power hungry devices. in that respectfore, when buying new components for a computer you should always look at the specifications for these devices to determine how a good deal power they need and whether or not your PSU can support it.* knockout Disk DriveThe hard di sk drive, or HDD, is the primary source of secondary storage in modern computers. Secondary storage is any device where tuition is stored when it is not needed for immediate use. An HDD uses magnetism to record information on a rotating disk of magnetic material. It uses a transferable arm containing a device called a drive head to read from and write to different portions of the disk.. Since the disk remains magnetized even aft(prenominal) power is removed, information is not lost when you turn off the computer. unmatched 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 correct position in order to retrieve a particular piece of information.Hard Disk Drive sophisticated 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 minute (RPM). The faster the disk spins, the more quickly information can be retrieved from it. The final variable is the part 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.Most modern HDDs use SATA or SAS interfaces, although HDDs using IDE interfaces are still somewhat common. It is important to know which interfaces your motherboard supports when buy a new HDD. A recent addition to the personal computer market is a engine room called a solid state drive, or SSD. While not technically an HDD, SSDs fill the same functions. The variance between HDDs and SSDs is that while an HDD uses a spinning disk to store selective information, an SSD uses special microchips. Due to this, SSDs are less susceptible to physical shocks such a s 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.* Optical Disk DrivesAn optical disk 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 rearward compatible, which doer that a new engine room can read the media from an older engine room. 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 harm 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 cooling 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 streamlinedly releasing it into the air, or a fluidness in certain special situations, similarly to how the radiator in your car works. Cooli ng fans work by removing warm air from components or heat sinks and pulling in cool air to replace it. Fans are functional in a variety of sizes that determine how much air they can move within your case. When adding a fan, it is important to check up on that you purchase a fan that is compatible with your motherboard, since different fans have different kinds of power connectors.CPU Heat Sink and FanSome extremely high-end PCs have liquid cooling systems which use tubes of flowing pissing 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 carry the danger of a coolant let on which can damage the system. For a typical PC, air cooling systems are sufficiently effective.* MemoryRandom Access Memory, or pack, is the part of the computer where information is stored while it is being used by the computers processor, operating system, programs, and othe r devices on your computer. RAM 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 devices such as an HDD or CD-ROM.Computer MemoryWhen you are using your computer it copies information that it is currently using, such as parts of the operating system or currently 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 bigger 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 speed and type of RAM that is compatible with a computers motherboard. A great tool for finding out what kind of memory your computer uses is Crucials Memory Advisory.* involution CardsAn expansion 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 expansion cards available two of the most common being video cards, which provide increased graphics processing ability, and die cards, which evoke 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 fac tors 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 limited number of each kind of slot. Before purchasing you need to ensure that your motherboard has the required slots available for use. Another 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 contact with any other parts of the computer except for the motherboard. Finally, you should ensure that your PSU can output bountiful 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 interrupt to function. Two common types of expansion cards are sound and video graphic cards* sullen CardsSound cards are a kind of expansion card which deals with audio input and output. Sound cards generally fill two functions. First, sou nd cards enhance the sound processing capability of the computer, allowing for the creation and output of more complex sounds. Secondly, sound cards often possess input and output ports that allow for other audio devices such as microphones or speakers to be connected to it.Sound Card* Video 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 pomp of more complex and detailed images without putting 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 t o 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* External 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 description 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 found below.Ex ternal 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 now 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 mon itor, keyboard, mouse, or printer it is important to ensure that you have the correct kind of port available for use. Otherwise you will be unable 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 repair a broken one, you now have the knowledge to understand what you are looking at.