Internal and External Components

Internal Components

• CPU or Central Processing Unit is the ‘brain’ of a computer; it processes basic as well as complex instructions.
• Heat sink and Fan: Heat sink is what keeps the CPU cool so it doesn’t go past the tolerable temperature, but because it can overheat itself, it is combined with a fan to prevent both the CPU and heat sink from overheating.
• Memory usually refers to RAM or Random Access Memory; it is a group of memory that is used when running a program e.g. Mozilla Firefox. When this occurs, RAM is captured from the group of memory so that the browser can be opened, is able to work and kept running.
• CD/DVD Burner: the component used when copying files or folders onto a CD/DVD e.g. music and pictures.
• Power Supply: a hardware component that supplies the needed DC or direct current onto a computer; it does this by transforming AC or alternating current to DC once the power is obtained from an electrical outlet.
• Motherboard: the PCB or Central Printed Circuit Board of modern computers. It is the ‘nervous system’ of a computer that holds, manages and coordinates several vital components attached to it e.g. memory.
• Hard drive: the home of the hard disk where all the files and folders on a computer are physically situated.
• Sound card: a circuit board that allows auditory components to function so the computer is able to produce sound.
• Video card: helps the CPU run more efficiently by handling the graphics part of the processing load e.g. watching a video on the Internet. The type of media viewed can depend on the class of video card used e.g. if a supported video card is not installed for the media, it will probably not run.
• Internal Modem: a device (modulator/demodulator) that allows information on the computer to be transferred over a telephone line; it lives on a circuit board that is inserted into an extension slow within the computer in comparison to external modem that lives independently outside the computer system.

External Components

• Monitor: a screen that reveals information to the computer viewer by sensing video signals from the machine and displaying this to the viewer.
• Speaker: converts an auditory signal from an amplifier into sound waves to allow the computer user to hear the desired sound.
• System Unit: the focal section of a desktop computer or the home of the majority of the internal components such as the motherboard, RAM etc.
• Mouse: a device that commands the computer cursor to move or click something e.g. a hyperlink on the Internet.
• Keyboard: a device that lets computer user’s type text, numbers or punctuations simply by clicking the buttons.