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Parts of a Computer
Created by Carmen Garzes
An electronic device that manipulates information or
data. It can store, retrieve or process data. There are
two types of computers: desktop and laptop.
Desktop
Laptop
Your basic desktop consist of:
•CPU
•Monitor
•Keyboard
•Mouse
The desktop is also called a
Personal Computer or PC.
Any part of the
computer you can
physically see and
touch are known
as hardware. This
includes what’s
inside the
computer.
• Any external device that
plugs into your computer
such as a printer or scanner.
They are components added
to the computer that allow it
to perform other functions.
Computers process information.
• Input Devices
Any part of the computer that is responsible for
getting information into the computer.
• Output Devices
Getting information out of the computer are known
as output devices.
Any part of the computer or device that is responsible
for getting information into the computer.
Any device that gets information out of the computer
for the user to see.
Software programs are sets of instructions
telling the computer (CPU) to perform a
series of actions in a certain order.
Computers require both hardware and
software for them to work. Each is useless
without the other.
Software programs are divided into two categories. They are
System software and Application software.
System Software
Includes programs that
manage the basic
operations of a computer
Application Software
Programs that perform a
single task such as:
• Word processor
• Spreadsheets
• Database
The operating system is the most important
piece of software on your computer.
Operating systems perform basic task
such as:
• recognizing input from the keyboard;
• sending output to the display screen;
• keeping track of files and directories on the
disk;
• controlling peripheral devices such as disk
drives and printers.
Operating
System
Operating systems are designed for a particular platform which is
determined by the type of computer or processor.
Windows - PC
Windows runs on PC Platform.
There are several versions
of windows operating
system:
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
Mac OS - Macintosh
• Mac OS X only runs on
Apple or Mac computers.
There are two basic methods of storing and managing
information.
Analogue
Old way of storing and
managing information.
Examples of analogue devices:
• Printed photograph
• Record
• Old analogue TV’s
• Regular camera that uses
film
Digital
New way of storing and
managing information. It
breaks information into
pieces.
Examples of digital devices
• Digital camera
• Scanner
• Digital TVs
• CDs and DVDs
Analogue
Old way of storing and
managing information.
Digital
New way of storing and
managing information.
• CPU is often referred to as
the brains of the computer.
• It contains the main chip or
processor of a computer
that carries out instructions,
performs calculations and
manages the flow of
information through the
computer system.
• Also known as a
computer chassis, tower
, box;
• It is the outer shell of
the computer.
• The case houses the
CPU, motherboard, hard
drives, cd drives, and
other components that
make the computer
work.
• A motherboard is like a
blueprint. It contains the
basic plan or layout of where
everything will reside.
• It contains the computer's
basic circuit board into which
everything is plugged into
such as your CPU, memory
boards, and peripheral cards.
• Additional components can
be added to a motherboard
through its expansion slot.
• Permanently stores your
files for later use;
• The Operating System,
such as Windows XP, as
well as any applications
(Word, PowerPoint, Excel,
etc.) are stored here.
• Also known as Drive C
• RAM is a computer’s
temporary memory, which
exists as chips on the
motherboard near the CPU.
• It temporarily stores data or
information while they are
being used until you hit
Save.
• Everything stored in this
temporary memory is lost
when the computer shuts
down.
• The monitor looks like a
television. It has a display
screen to provide “output”
to the user. It is where you
view the information you
are working on.
• There are two types of
monitors
• LCD
• CRT
LCD
Monitor
• It is a circuit board attached
to the motherboard that
contains the memory and
other circuitry necessary to
send information to the
monitor for display on
screen.
• Without the Video Card,
you would not be able to
see images on your screen.
• The keyboard has a set of raised keys. It is used to enter
information into the computer and for giving commands. It is
an input device.
• A hand-held input device
used to select or move
items on a screen, open
programs, highlight text and
perform other functions.
• The mouse is used to
control the on-screen
pointer by pointing and
clicking, double-clicking, or
dragging objects on the
screen.
• A pressure-sensitive and
motion sensitive device
used in place of a mouse.
Touchpads are also found
on phones.
• It is also known as an Optical
Drive.
• The drive that reads
information stored on
compact discs (CDs) or DVDs.
• CDs are used to install
software.
• When you burn a CD, you are
writing information onto CDs
and DVDs to be used later or
in another location.
• It is also known as the D
Drive on your computer.
• A small round plastic disk used
to store large amounts of
digital information.
• CDs store about 700 MB of
data
• DVDs store about 4.7 GB of
digital information.
• Small easy portable USB
device used to store digital
data from a computer. Comes
in a variety of storage sizes.
• They are also called jump
drives, pen drives or flash
drives.
• An input device used
for capturing text or
images and
converting it into a
digital image.
• Allows the user to
record sounds as
input to their
computer.
• Used to generate or reproduce voice, music, and
other sounds. It is an output device.
• The Sound Ports plug
into the Sound Card.
• Microphones, headsets
and speakers will
connect to the computer
through the sound ports.
• The Sound Card
processes sound data so
that you can speak into a
microphone to record
and listen to audio with
speakers or a headset.
• The place where the computer is connected to the
phone line. The modem is what allows us to
connect to the Internet.
• An output device that produces a hard copy (paper
copy) of information displayed on a computer screen.
• It gives information to the user in printed form.
• There are two types of printers: laser and inkjet.
Laser Printer
Inkjet Printer
• The Universal Serial Bus
(USB) has become the
standard method of
connecting computer
peripherals such as
mouse, keyboard,
scanners, printers,
cameras, etc.
• USB was designed to
replace serial and parallel
ports.
• Connects your computer to
other computers and the
Internet
• One end plugs into your
computer’s Network Card
• The other end plugs into a
“drop” along the wall
Supplies power to the computer.