Transcript How a Computer Works

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The Central Unit is a box that contains the
elements that make a computer function.
◦ Compartments of the internal mechanism- are the
metal accommodations, that can incorporate plates
in the internal mechanism.
◦ Fuel supply source- The mechanism that provides
the correct voltage to the different parts of the
central system.
◦ Electronic components- contains the motherboard,
which can contain other boards that are called
expansion cards. Expansion cards expand what a
computer can normally do.
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PS/2 Port- the connectors called Mini-Din (with 6
contacts) connect the mouse/key board to the
computer.
Series Port- Uses 9 pins to connect male and female
ports (DB-9). Used to send and receive data.
Parallel Port- Uses 25 pins to connect male and
female ports (DB-25). Used mainly to connect
printers.
USB Port (Universal Serial Bus)- Uses 4 male and
female contacts in rectangles (type A) or squares
(type B). Used for plug and play which means that the
system can automatically understand what was
plugged in. It transmits data quicker.
IEEE Port 1394 or FireWire- Uses 4 or 6 male and
female contacts to permit a quick connection.
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Computers operate with number data in
codes of 2 figures called Binary Code. The
transmitted information is called digital
information.
The binary numbers are also called Bits which
are the electric impulses 1=on 0=off.
Bits are in groups of 8 called Bytes. The
number increases by eights (8,16,32).
The data allows arithmetic and logic
operations to receive questions and let out a
yes or no answer.
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And- The port exit is only one if both of the
entrances are 1. (car/gas/city)
Or- Only one entrance needs to be one for
the exit to be 1. (car/bike/city)
No- The exit is 1 if the entrance is 0. The exit
is 0 if the entrance is 1. (opposites)
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Motherboard- (or base board) is a board of
circuits that contain the electronic
components of a computer. Contains:
◦ Buses-passages for information (in bits) to move
through the system.
 Data Bus- communicates the CPU with the rest of the
components
 Address Bus- is in charge of taking the numbers to
find the data inside of the memory.
 Control Bus- Takes the CPU instructions to eject.
◦ CPU- (Central Processing Unit) It is the chip that
controls the computer.
 2 types of microprocessors- Intel and AMD
◦ Memory-The memory in this is measured in kilobytes
(KB), Megabytes (MB), and Gigabytes (GB).
 ROM Memory- Read-Only Memory (cannot change data)
 RAM Memory- Random Access Memory (can change data)
◦ System Clock- Is the system that sends the electric
impulses. The number of impulses per second is the
velocity. It is measured in Hz and GHz.
◦ Slots- (expansion slots) are slots that allow a computer
to be updated. For example: Graphics, Sound, and
Communication.
 3 types: PCI, PCI Express, and AGP
◦ Port Connections- The way to connect the electronic
components.
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Keyboard- Used to transmit letters, numbers, and symbols. Also,
other special
Mouse- is a box that controls the movements of a cursor on the
screen.
◦ Ball Mouse- The movement of the ball will move the pins that is connected
to discs. The LED light then captures the movement through little holes
where the discs are.
◦ Optical Mouse- A light will emit LED over the surface that the mouse is on.
A detector captures the light and is sent through digital signals to the
computer.
◦ Cordless Mouse- Is like an Optical Mouse, but it has a radio in place of the
cord that transmits the movement.
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Scanner- a mechanism that transforms images digitally for a
computer to work with.
◦ Document Scanner- captures images on paper
◦ Photo Scanner- obtains negatives of photographs or of mechanisms
◦ Barcode Scanner- reads the barcodes
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Monitor- is a screen that shows the results of the
operations of a computer.
◦ CRT Monitor- Uses a tube to images like a TV that is
usually between 14 and 21 inches.
◦ LCD Monitor- Is a screen that uses a glass liquid that
takes up less space that shows a less exhausted visual.
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Printer- copies onto paper what was on the
screen.
◦ Ink-Jet Printer- Ink is ejected onto the paper. It can
reproduce photographs.
◦ Laser Printer- Uses a toner that is put on paper from a
laser ray. You can find laser printers in black and white
and in color.
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The mechanism that saves information and data
so that you will not lose any data when turning
off your computer. The 3 types are:
1. Magnetic
 Floppy Disc
 HD (hard disc)
 Etc.
2. Optic
 CD
 DVD
3. Flash Memory
 Flash Drive
 Memory Card
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The Motherboard allows certain audio and
visual elements to be attached to the
computer. Allows for such uses as:
◦ Video camera
◦ Digital camera
◦ Web Camera