The Components of the System Unit
By:Jacob MannsJacob Eickoff
Motherboard
• AKA mainboard, system board, planar board, or logic board.
• It is printed circuit board found in all modern computers which holds many of the crucial components of the system, such as the CPU.
Control Unit
• A control unit is a key component in all computer systems.
• It works with the central processing unit to instruct, maintain and control the flow of information.
• Without a control unit, a computer could not follow directions and might not function properly.
The Arithmetic Logic Unit
• It is a digital circuit that performs arithmetic and logical operations.
• Also called ALU.
Machine Cycle
• This is the basic operating cycle of the computer.
• It is the process in which a computer retrieves a program instruction from its memory.
Registers
• A register is a small amount of storage available as part of a CPU or other digital processor.
• It can only store words.
The System Clock• Represents a computer systems notion of the
passing time.• The system time is measured by the system
clock.
Comparison of personal computer processors
• It is important to find a personal computer with a good processor.
• Some can be good and work properly while others run badly and are more cheaply made.
Heat Sinks, Liquid Cooling, Heat Pipes
•Heat sinks- help keep electronics and computers from overheating.•Liquid Cooling- is used on computers that generate too much heat for a fan.•Heat Pipes- Hollow tubes that have a heat transfer liquid in them and when the heat reaches the end of the pipes it evaporates the air.
Parallel Processing
• Parallel processing allows computer programs to run faster because of the use of more CPUs.
Expansion Slot
• An opening in a computer where a circuit board can be inserted to add new capabilities.
• Come in two basic sizes, half and full size.
Expansion Card
• Is a printed circuit board that can be inserted into an electrical connector.
• On one edge of the expansion card holds the contacts that fit exactly into the slot.
PC Card
• Is a form factor peripheral interface designed for laptop computers.
• Originally known as a PCMICA card.
Ports
• A port serves as an interface between other computers or peripheral devices.
• Specialized outlet on a piece of equipment to which a plug or cable connects.
Special Purpose PortsFive different types of these ports.
• MIDI- musical instrument digital interface• SCSI- small computer system interface• USB- universal serial bus• 1394 port• IrDa- infrared data association
Buses
• A set of physical connections which can be shared with multiple hardware components in order to communicate with one another.
Types of Expansion Buses
• General - Connects the expansion slot to the chip.
• Standard – Has faster speed than general.
Bays
• Space inside the computer for DVD, CD, and floppy disk.
• Place where external components connect to the computer.
Power Supply
• Converts and maintains AC to lower voltage DC power for internal components of a computer.
• Modern personal computers use a switch mod power supply.