RAM is a data storage device that can provide fast read and write access. RAM is also volatile, which means that it loses all the stored data when power is lost. The speed of the RAM is a big contributor to the overall speed of a computer. It, too, has a clock speed, just like a processor. So, it can also be overclocked to deliver increased performance beyond the intended specification. Certain RAM modules are sold with a heat spreader.
RAM has evolved like any other component. A graphics card processes the data from the motherboard and sends the appropriate information to the monitor for it to be displayed. It takes the burden of all the video processing from the main CPU. This gives a computer a big boost in performance. Because of the large processing requirements for a gaming graphics card, fans are almost a given. It is a serial expansion bus slot capable of a high amount of bandwidth in two directions.
But, if you are a sound enthusiast or prefer higher detailed audio while playing a game, you might be inclined to use a sound card. Sound cards plug into a computer in multiple ways. They connect up using an IO cable like a USB cable to your computer or laptop and provide a line out for your speakers or headphones. A sound processing chip on the card does all of the audio processing and is usually not a very powerful processor.
A hard drive is found in most computers. Apart from storing data, it can also be used as a boot drive to run the operating system from it.
An operating system is a software program that makes a computer useable like Microsoft Windows, for example. The biggest vulnerability of a mechanical drive is its physically fragile nature. One bump the wrong way can destroy a whole drive. A mechanical hard drive contains one or more platters that spin anywhere between to RPM revolutions per minute. Small areas on the platter can be arranged to represent a 1 or a 0. It can be changed using the drive head to alter the material to represent the correct value magnetically.
It consists of a bank of flash memory that can hold a reasonable amount of data. However, the SSD is a high-performance drive. Basic Computer Hardware questions are easy to remember and can count for easy marks. Download as PDF for revision later. Every part of your computer is the result of years of research and development.
Parts that were once hand made at a cost of thousands of man-hours are now mass produced for a fraction of a rupee.
Computer parts can be divided into two groups, hardware and software. Hardware is any part of the computer that you can touch. The seeming miles of wires that get tangled on your desk, the CD drive, the monitor are all hardware. Software is a set of electronic instructions consisting of complex codes Programs that make the computer perform tasks. Windows is a software, so is any other program that runs on your computer. While there are thousands of parts even in the smallest computers that make up its hardware, you are not required to know them all.
You only need to know about basic computer hardware. The CPU is considered the brain of the computer. It performs all types of data processing operations, stores data, intermediate results and instructions program. It controls the operation of all parts of computer. A CPU has 3 components as listed below. Think of the ALU as the logical part of the brain.
The ALU thinks in bits i. It is made up of a group of memory locations built directly into the CPU called registers. These are used to hold the data binary information that are being processed by the current instruction. Primary memory is memory that is part of the computer itself and necessary for its functioning. It consists of mainly two types of memories:. As soon as the machine is switched off, data is erased. RAM is volatile. Volatile means that the data stored in memory is lost when we switch off the computer or if there is a power failure.
There are different types of RAM available. Some of them are described below. The memory from which we can only read but cannot write on it. The function keys are labeled F1 through F Some programs use these keys as shortcuts for common tasks. For example, in many programs, F1 opens the Help file. The Tab key is used to create indents in word processing programs.
Also, if you are filling out a form online, you can use the Tab key to switch to the next field. The main part of the keyboard includes the alphanumeric keys letters and numbers and the spacebar. The Control Ctrl , Alternate Alt , and Shift keys are designed to work in combination with other keys.
Typically, you hold down Ctrl, Alt, or Shift and then type another key to perform a specific task. The arrow keys are used for many different purposes, including moving the cursor, scrolling a document, and controlling a game. The numeric keypad resembles a calculator keypad. Many users find that it is easier to type numbers using this keypad. On some keyboards, these keys double as arrow keys. The Backspace key also known as the delete key erases the character to the left of the cursor.
The Enter key also known as the return key executes commands. For example, while on the Internet, you can type a website address and then press Enter to go to the site. It is also used to start a new line in word processing programs. Insert : This switches between insert mode which inserts new text without deleting anything and overtype mode which deletes text after the cursor as you type. Delete : This erases the character to the right of the cursor.
If you want to learn how to type or improve your touch-typing skills, check out our free Typing Tutorial. There are two main mouse types: optical and mechanical.
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