Alkitab University. .

‫جامعة الكتاب‬
Collage of Engineering Technolo ‫كلية التقنية الهندسية‬
Computer Technology Engineering ‫هندسة تقنيات الحاسوب‬
introduction
A computer is a device that can accept some inputs and produce some output. In
fact, the human brain itself is an advanced computer and scientists are learning
more about how it works with each passing year. Our most common use of the
word computer is the description of an electronic device containing a
microprocessor.

Microprocessor is a small electronic device that can perform complex calculations

in the blink of an eye. You can find microprocessors on many devices that you use
every day, such as cars, refrigerators, and televisions. The most popular device with
a processor is Personal Computer - PC. In fact, the concept of computer has become
almost synonymous with the term personal computer.

When you hear the computer, you might envision a closed device with an attached
video screen, a keyboard, and some types of pointing devices, such as a mouse or
keyboard. You may also imagine various forms of personal computers such as
desktop computers, and laptops. The term PC has been associated with brands such
as Intel processors or Microsoft operating systems.

In this article, we introduce the computer with these characteristics:

 Designed for use by one person at a time.

 It runs the operating system to act as an interface between the user and the
microprocessor.
 Contains some common internal components like CPU and RAM.
 Run software applications designed for specific activities such as work or
play.
 It allows adding or removing hardware or software as needed.
Computers date back to the 1970s when a man named Ed Roberts began selling
computer kits built on a microprocessor chip designed by Intel. Roberts called his
computer the Altair 8800 and this is how the PC era began.

While the Altair 8800 was the first real PC, the Apple II version a few years later
was a sign of the beginning of the PC as a desirable home device. Apple II,
inventors of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, have proven that there is a demand for
computers in homes and schools. Soon after, old computer companies like IBM and
Texas Instruments jumped into the computer market and new brands like
Commodore and Atari entered the game.

In this article, we will look inside the computer to know its parts and what they are
doing. We will also check the basic software used to start and operate the computer.
Then we'll cover the laptops and examine the future of computer technology.

The basic components of a computer

From the definition that we mentioned previously for the

computer:

"An electronic device capable of receiving data data,

performing some operations on it to process it, and then output useful information
for us."

From this definition, computer components can be divided into:

1. Input units: used to enter data into a computer such as a mouse, keyboard, or
scanner.

2. Output units: used to display information to a computer user such as a monitor,

printer, or headphones.

3. Central Processing Unit: It is responsible for performing various operations on

data entering the computer. These operations are divided into different divisions,
such as:

a. Calculations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

b. Boolean operations, such as comparisons.

To know how the computer works, we must start with the parts that come together
to be the machine. The following are common components of computers in the
order usually grouped:

Case: If you are using a laptop computer, the computer case includes a keyboard
and screen. For desktop computers, the outer box is usually a type of box that
contains lamps, slots, and cabling places. The size of the tray can vary from small
tabletop units to tall towers. A larger external box does not always mean a more
powerful computer. It is inside that determines how powerful a computer is. PC
designers design or select an outer box based on the type of motherboard that
should be placed inside.

Motherboard: The main circuit board inside your computer is the motherboard.
All components inside and out are connected to the motherboard one way or
another. The other components included in this article are removable and therefore
can be replaced without replacing the motherboard. Many important components
are directly attached to the motherboard such as the BIOS. Motherboards come in
different sizes and sizes. Motherboards vary depending on the type of removable
components that are designed to handle internally and what ports are available for
connecting external devices.

Power Supply: Unlike the BIOS, which operates with a separate replaceable
battery on the motherboard, each component of your computer depends on the
device's power source. The power source is connected to some types of power
sources, whether it is a battery in the case of laptops, or an electricity source in the
case of desktop computers. On a desktop computer, you can see the power source
installed inside the case and connected from the outside to a power source via the
Power Cable, and from the inside it connects to a handful of cables. Some of these
cables connect directly to the motherboard while others connect to other
components such as drives and fans.

Central Processing Unit (CPU): The central processing unit (CPU), often
called just the processor, is the component that contains the microprocessor. This
processor is the heart of all PC operations, and the performance of both hardware
and software depends on the performance of the processor. Intel and AMD are
some of the biggest manufacturers of PC CPUs, although you'll find others on the
market as well. The common CPU architecture is 32-bit and 64-bit, and you will
find that some programs rely on this architectural distinction.

Random Access Memory (RAM): Even the fastest processors need a buffer
to store information as it is being processed. The RAM in relation to the CPU is
similar to the setting table for the cook in the kitchen. It is the place where you wait
for the components and tools you work with until you need to capture and use them.

A fast CPU, and ample RAM, is essential to a fast computer. Each computer has the
maximum amount of RAM that it can handle, and the motherboard slots indicate
the type of RAM that the computer requires.

Drives: A drive is a device intended to store data when it is not in use. It stores
either Hard Disk Drive - HDD or Solid State Drive - SSD, Operating System PC
system, and other software. This category also includes optical drives such as those
used for reading, writing for CD, DVD and Blu-ray media. The drive is connected
to the motherboard based on the type of drive controller technology that it uses,
including the older IDE standard and the latest SATA standard.
Cooling Devices: The higher the speed and power of a computer, the greater the
temperature it generates. The CPU and other components can handle a certain
amount of heat. Therefore, if the computer is not cooled properly, it can cause a
significant increase in temperature, which leads to damage to its components and
circuits.

Fans are the most common computer cooling device. In addition, the CPU is
covered with a metal block called Heat Sink, which pulls heat away from the CPU.
Some serious computer users like computer game users have more expensive heat
management solutions, such as a water cooling system that is designed to deal with
more intense cooling requirements.

Cables: All the components we mentioned so far are connected to some cables.
These cables are designed to transfer data, power, or both. Personal computers
should be created so that the cables fold well inside the case and do not prevent
airflow throughout.

The computer is usually much more than these basic components. Next, we'll look
at the ports and Peripherals that allow you to interact with the computer and how
you can add more components using Expansion Slots.

Ports, peripherals, and expansion slots

The core components we have researched so far constitute the CPU power of a PC.
A personal computer needs additional components to interact with human users and
other computers. The following are the computer parts that make this happen:

Graphics and video cards: While some motherboards contain a graphics card
built on the motherboard, others include a so-called expansion slot where you can
add a separate Graphic Card video card. In both cases, the computer's video card
processes complex graphics data that goes to the screen, thereby reducing CPU
loads. The motherboard accepts video cards based on specific criteria, such as the
old AGP standard or one of the newer PCI standards.

Ports: The word "port" is often used to describe a location outside a computer
where you can connect a cable. The port is configured according to its use, such as
a USB port or an Ethernet port. Many ports are installed directly on the
motherboard. Some of the ports that you will find on your computer include:

USB Ports.

 Network ports, typically Ethernet and FireWire.

 Video ports, usually a combination of VGA, DVI, RCA / component, S-
Video, and HDMI.
 Audio ports, usually some mix of analog mini audio or RCA jacks.
 Legacy or legacy-standard ports that are rarely used in modern computers,
such as the Parallel Port printer and mouse and keyboard PS2 ports.

Peripherals: Any piece of device that is not installed in the Case box is called a
terminal device. This includes your main input and output devices: screens,
keyboards and mice. It also includes printers, speakers, headphones, microphones,
web cameras and USB flash drives. Anything that you can plug into a port on your
computer is one of the PC's peripherals.

Expansion slots: Sometimes you will need to add components to a computer that
does not have a specific slot located on the motherboard. This is why the
motherboard will include a series of expansion slots. Removable components
designed to fit expansion slots are called cards or cards perhaps because of their flat
card-like structure. With expansion slots you can add more video cards, network
cards, printer ports, TV receivers and many other custom add-ons. The card must
match the expansion slot type whether it is the old ISA / EISA type or the most
common PCI, PCI-X or PCI Express types.
A summary of computer components.

1. Central Processing Unit

CPU: It represents the mind of the
computer, and everything the
computer does must go through the
CPU.

2. Memory: It is the fastest unit for storing the data the computer needs to perform various
operations. It has several types:

a. Random Access Memory RAM: Used to store the data a computer needs in the
process it is currently performing. It is a temporary memory, meaning that its contents
disappear as soon as the computer is closed. Its contents are constantly changing according to
the need of the program that runs on the computer.

b. Read Only Memory ROM: It is a fixed memory, meaning that its content does not
disappear even if the electricity is disconnected from the computer. It is used to keep the
important data necessary to operate the computer itself, and its contents do not change.

c. Cache Memory: It is one of the fastest types of memory, and it is used to store the most
important data that the computer needs in the process it is currently performing.

d. Virtual Memory: It is a part of the hard disk that is used temporarily to store part of the
large data that the computer may need to perform an operation. The contents of the virtual
memory are exchanged with the main memory of the computer.

e. Basic Input / output System BIOS: A type of read-only memory. It is used to store
the data the computer needs at the beginning of its operation only.

3. Mother Board: It is the main electrical board in a computer. It is used to connect all
components of the device to it. For example, the microprocessor and memory are connected
directly to the motherboard, and some other parts such as the screen card and sound card are
connected to the motherboard via secondary connections called Expansion Slots.

4. Power Supply: It is an electrical transformer used to deliver electricity to the device

while converting it to the appropriate image to use the computer. It converts it from 220 volts
to 5 volts.

5. Hard Disk: It is the main permanent volume in a computer.

6. Operating System: It is the basic program that enables the user of the computer to
interact with the device and issue different instructions and commands to it, as well as running
different programs and applications.

7. Graphic Card: It converts the outputs into an image that can be displayed on the screen
connected to the computer.

8. Sound Card: It is responsible for removing sound from the computer, and it plays sound
files such as music and songs….

REFERENCES

https://computer.howstuffworks.com/pc.htm