Overview (from http://ezinearticles.com/?How-a-Computer-Works---ComputerHardware---Overview-of-Internal-Components&id=3961234 and, my long love,
wikipedia)
Computer- A computer is a programmable machine that receives input, stores
and manipulates information, and provides output in a useful format.
4 main parts to a computer:calculators, storage, power, input/output, wiring
Even though most people use a computer every day, some for a large part of the
day, most people don't know how their computer works on the inside. This article
attempts to give a high level overview of how a computer works by describing the
major components of the computer. With this information you should have
enough understanding to do basic upgrades and repairs on the computer.
1. Case: The computer is enclosed inside of a case. The case is like the metallic
body of a car. It protects the internal components and holds everything in place.
2.Motherboard: The motherboard is like the nervous system of a human being,
it connects all the internal components together. All communication is done over
the motherboard.
The motherboard also has what's known as integrated devices, devices that add
functionality that are part of the motherboard. Back in the day there was a
separate audio card, network card, modem card, etc., basically a card for every
device. But since these cards are so common, and are standard to every
computer, for convenience they now come as part of the motherboard. A card is
essentially like it’s own motherboard. You can try to point out that the
motherboard is both taking in the information (whether you clicking a mouse,
playing a game, writing a report), and sending it out.
3. Microprocessor: The CPU can be seen as the most powerful microprocessor.
It’s the fastest at making decisions and calculations, but other microprocessors
help the computer make decisions. Each is like a tiny brain and is a chip.
Modern microprocessors appear in everything from automobiles to cell phones
and children's toys.
3.1 CPU: The Core Processing Unit, also known as the processor, is the logic
part of the computer. All decisions and calculations are done by the processor.
It's the central part of the computer; all the other parts are there to support and
extend it. Looks like a thin metal block, one part flat metal plate the other side
pins. It’s able to take in messages through the pins and send them out in the
form of electricity. The pattern of the different kinds of electricity (positive or
negative) is what the computer sees as information.
4. Random Access Memory: The main memory, RAM, or just memory, is the
short-term memory of the computer. It's very fast, but much smaller than the hard
drive, long-term memory.
The processor only communicates with short-term memory, because long-term
memory is too slow. Whenever the processor needs some information from the
hard drive, it first loads it into main memory and works with it there. Then once
it's done and wants to save the changes, it writes the data back to the hard drive
for storage. Ram are also Chips.
5. Expansion Board
Video Card: The video card is responsible for handling the display and for 2D/3D
calculations. Basic video cards often come integrated into the motherboard. But
more powerful video cards, for intensive 3D applications, come as large
standalone devices. They are big circuit boards with their own processors
(GPUs) and memory.
Sound Card: A sound card (also known as an audio card) is a computer
expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to and from a
computer under control of computer programs. Typical uses of sound cards
include providing the audio component for multimedia applications such as music
composition, editing video or audio, presentation, education, and entertainment
(games). Many computers have sound capabilities built in, while others require
additional expansion cards to provide for audio capability.
6. Power Supply: The power supply converts electricity from the wall outlet into
electricity that the different internal components can use. Each internal
component has its own power requirements - different voltages, different
currents, etc. The power supply provides the correct type and amount electricity
for each component. Each component has it’s own cable from the power supply
so it gets the right amount. The power supply has it’s own fan in addition to the
fan the computer has. This fan is used to cool all the electronics that take care of
all the conversions. The electricity coming from the wall isn’t constant and
sometimes has power spikes the power supply makes it constant.
7. CD/DVD Drive: A very common component in the computer, the CD/DVD
drive is there to read and write CDs and DVDs.
8.Hard Drive: The hard drive is the long-term, or storage, memory of the
computer. It's much larger and much slower than main memory. The hard drive
stores information by using magnetic fields to align magnetic materials on the
hard drive. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a
protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read and written on the platter by
read/write heads that float on a film of air above the platters.
HDDs record data by magnetizing ferromagnetic material directionally.
Sequential changes in the direction of magnetization represent patterns of binary
data bits. The data are read from the disk by detecting the transitions in
magnetization and decoding the originally written data. Different encoding
schemes, such as Modified Frequency Modulation, group code recording, runlength limited encoding, and others are used.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_drive
9 Not on Diagram but Good to Point Out:
9.1 Computer Fan: A computer fan is any fan inside a computer case used for
cooling purposes, and may refer to fans that draw cooler air into the case from
the outside, expel warm air from inside, or move air across a heatsink to cool a
particular component. The use of fans to cool a computer is an example of active
cooling.
9.2 Drive Bay A drive bay is a standard-sized area for adding hardware to a
computer. Most drive bays are fixed to the inside of a case, but some can be
removed.
Drive bays are most commonly used to store disk drives, although they can also
be used for front-end USB ports, I/O bays, card readers, fans, tool storage, and
other uses. Some computers have a small system monitor LCD display mounted
in a drive bay.
As processors, graphics cards, RAM and other components in computers have
increased in clock speed and power consumption, the amount of heat produced
by these components as a side-effect of normal operation has also increased.
These components need to be kept within a specified temperature range to
prevent overheating, instability, malfunction and damage leading to a shortened
component lifespan.
9.3 Chip In electronics, an integrated circuit (also known as IC, chip, or
microchip) is a miniaturized electronic circuit (consisting mainly of
semiconductor devices, as well as passive components) that has been
manufactured in the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material.