Induction Assignment - A3 Information Poster

Inside the Case

Central Processing Unit

The CPU is the main computing component. It runs billions of binary calculations per second
necessary to execute instructions.
It does this by following the fetch, decode, execute cycle where instructions are fetched from
the cache or RAM before being decoded into binary before being executed or in other words;
carried out.

Consumer PC CPUs contain between 2 and 8 cores and have a clock speed of 2-4.2GHz.
Each core works through the fetch, decode, execute cycle. If there are a lot of instructions
waiting to be carried out, for instance when multiple programs are running then it may take a
while for them to carried out therefore reducing performance.

Having multiple cores in a CPU allows it to multi-task, the more cores, the more multi-tasking. The clock speed determines how many
times a second a calculation is carried out, 1hz means one calculation per second, so 3.5GHz means 3.5 billion calculations per
second. Therefore the faster the clock speed the faster the processor can execute instructions.

Motherboard
The Motherboard is an integral part of a PC system. Most components are attached directly to the motherboard. Including the CPU, RAM, video and other cards.
It contains system buses which move data between computer components, For instance when the CPU Fetches instructions from the RAM before executing
them. It also contains the ROM where the BIOS is installed, that is responsible for the system boot and the management of system buses. [1]

RAM
Random access memory is found as DDR SDRAM which is a faster, more complicated high bandwidth form of DRAM or Dynamic random access which
memory stores data by charging lots of tiny capacitors, when read charged capacitors represent binary 1 and non charged capacitors represent 0. ‘The capacitor
in a dynamic RAM memory cell is like a leaky bucket. It needs to be refreshed periodically or it will discharge to 0. This refresh operation is where dynamic RAM
gets its name. Dynamic RAM has to be dynamically refreshed all of the time or it forgets what it is holding.’ [Source 2]
The RAM holds data that programs are using and instructions for the CPU. RAM is volatile however this means that data it holds is lost when the system is
shutdown that is why permanent data is stored on the main drive or drives. PCs can have between 4GB and 128GB of RAM.

Hard Drive
An HDD (Hard disk drive) or SSD (Solid state drive) holds the majority of the data on a PC, it contains documents,program files, app data, and the operating system.
A hard drive consists of at least one platter and an arm which reads data by By detecting the polarity of a miniscule area on the platter, This determines whether it
represents a 1 or 0 in binary. Data is written by changing the polarity. ‘In order to increase the amount of information the drive can store, most hard disks have multiple
platters.’ [Source 3] Capacities range from 512GB to 6TB.

An SSD is an alternative to a Hard drive, it offers much faster speeds with no moving parts (hence the name) but at a lower capacity and greater cost. Instead of an
arm and a platter SSD use millions of floating point transistors which represent binary data depending on whether they are charged or not This is more commonly
referred to as Flash memory which is found in USB memory sticks and SD cards. Unlike hard drive SSD za not susceptible to mechanical failures because they have
no moving parts however they have a limited lifespan because every time a floating-point transistor’s state is changed during a rewrite process the voltage required
changes in the future is increased slightly meaning that eventually it cannot be overwritten. Capacities range from 16GB to 1TB.

Power Supply Unit

The power supply unit PSU is a critical component inside a PC it converts alternating current
(AC) from the mains into direct current (DC) that the PC components use.

Nearly all PSUs have a ‘kettle plug’ input which is connected to the mains and suitable power
supplies are designated with the 80+ certification, meaning that they are at least 80% efficient
across all loads. Power supplies have become more efficient since the 80+ certificate
introduction so new categories have been implemented.

Cooling
Fans and radiators can be used to cool the inside of the case intaking cool air and exhausting warm air. The CPU requires
extensive calling so typically a heatsink and fans are installed but sometimes the system may require more than air cooling Sol
liquid cooling system incorporates a pump and radiator to expel heat from the system.

Monitors and Speakers

Monitors are the primary output devices of a PC they display visual information for the user to see with their eyes. There are many different
types of monitor with varying refresh rates.
Speakers are the main audio output for a PC, Mono, Stereo, 2.1, 5.1, 7.1 sound
systems are available. Headphones are an alternative and can offer higher quality
sound and attached microphone input.

Peripherals
A Keyboard and Mouse are the most common input methods for modern PCs, wired
and wireless options are available. Keyboards are available in different layouts to suit each language. These devices
most commonly use a USB connection.