Hardware Introduction: Computers are a combination of two terms, Hardware and Software. Hardware is the physical components of a computer. Pieces of hardware are categorized according to the functions they perform: input, process, output, and storage. So, you can say that, your PC is a system, consisting of many components. Some of those components, like Windows, and all the other programs are software. Software is the medium of interactions between the user and computer. It represents programs, collection of several sets of instructions. Software allows the hardware to run properly. The stuff you can actually see and touch is hardware.
Computer Hardware Introduction
Hardware of a computer consists of complex electronic circuits. The details of the circuitry are not important to a regular user. However, a user must clearly understand the hardware units with which he has to interact.
For convenience, the hardware of a computer can be classified in the following categories:
1. Input Device
2. Output Device
3. Central Processing Unit (CPU)
4. Memory or Storage
5. Motherboard
Hardware Introduction: Let us discuss each of these components:
1. Hardware Introduction: Input Devices
The form in which data is visible to a user is not always in the same form as the computer hardware process data. Input devices are pieces of hardware that receive data or instructions from users, convert the data into a form that the computer can be process, then passes the same to the computer. Hence, whenever you need to enter some texts into the computer you do not write it on a piece of paper and shove it inside the computer. Instead you use a keyboard. In this case, keyboard is the input device. Some other input devices are- Mouse, Microphone etc.
2. Output Devices:
The language that a computer uses to process data is Binary. The binary language only consists of ones and zeros. So, the result, produced by a computer after processing is not always in user readable form. An output device is hardware equipment that translates the binary result into a form of media or output that the user can understand. Examples of output devices are the display or monitor, Printer, speaker etc.
3. Central Processing Unit (CPU):
Central processing unit is the brain of a computer. It is the master organ of the computer. No computer can exist without a CPU. It is composed of two simpler hardware units – Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) and Control Unit (CU). CU controls all the activities of other hardware units while ALU performs all the calculations. Computer CPUs are very fast in their calculations and swift in control.
4. Memory or Storage:
The memory or storage is the hardware unit where the computer stores all the data and information given to it. It also stores results of the processing. There are many types of memories inside a computer that have different purposes. Some memories are directly connected to the CPU and extremely fast at storage and retrieval of data. These memories are called primary memory. RAM (Random Access Memories) and ROM (Read Only Memories) belong to this category of memories. The CPU takes data and instructions stored only in the primary memories. Read The difference between ram and rom here-
Secondary storage devices store information outside the system unit. These are moveable from one system to another allowing portability of data and instructions. SSD, HDD, hard disks and CD-ROM are some of the secondary storage devices. Input devices, output devices and secondary storage devices are peripheral devices or simply peripherals because they do not directly connect to the CPU.
5. Motherboard:
Motherboard, also known as the System Board, is the most important piece of hardware component of a computer. The reason is called the motherboard isall the other boards (printed circuit boards having chips or other electronic components) of the computer are connected to this board, hence it is like the mother of all other boards.
These are the basic components of a computer. In our future posts, we will discuss these components in detail. End of Hardware Introduction.
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