TECH 1313 Impact of Modern Technology on Society

How do computers work

Microprocessor
CPU

Wire "Pins" for electrical connections

This is the brains of the computer

Properties
One important property is the speed of the microprocessor. This is measured in Hertz (Hz) which is like the number of operations per second. Good ones are like 2,000,000,000 = 2 GHz. Another property is how much data can be processed at the same time.

Digital Data
Everything is represented by a 1 and 0. (called binary bits) For example 25 is represented by 00011001 The letter R is represented by 01010010 8 bits, as above, is called a byte

Instruction Set
The CPU knows how to perform a few hundred basic tasks in response to the proper instruction Some are math, like add, multiply Some involve alphabetic data Some are used to move data to and from memory Others are used for decision making

A Program.
A program is just a huge collection of instructions assembled in such a way to perform a task Some tasks are simple, some complex
Word processing Spread sheet operations Graphing Computer games

A program can contain millions of instructions

The computer needs memory

To store data it is doing something to To store the program instructions when the program is being run This is RAM
Fast memory (nano seconds) Volatile memory (erases when the power is turned off)

So Far Then.
CPU

Fast Memory

Program Instructions

Program Data

The computer needs permanent memory

To store programs and files Hard Disk (milliseconds) CD ROM (milliseconds) Solid-State Memory (Faster like microseconds but needs batteries) (These are called thumb memory, memory sticks, jump drives, etc.)

A computer also needs.

The keyboard for input The mouse for selections of operations The display for.uhdisplay A printer for hard copy Network interface for Internet connection and USB Ports for other

So, finally we have

Network Hard Disk USB Port Printer Network Interface BUS CPU

Display Fast Memory

Mouse

Keyboard

Did you know???????

For a computer kilo- (K) does NOT mean 1000?
It means 1024 (2^10) Mega means 1048576 (2^20)

Memory is stored in groups of 8 binary digits called a byte (B) RAM runs 256 KB to 1 MB per chip

More did you know???

A CD holds about 800 MBytes Hard disks can hold a lot more .many GigaBytes where one Giga is 1,073,741,824 Bytes Memory sticks hold a lot too, up to 2 GigaBytes

SO
Of course you know computers can be made in may shapes and sizes Often microprocessors (computers) are placed in machines, like clothes washing machines, where they perform dedicated, fixed operations according to some program

TECH 1313 Impact of Modern Technology on Society

How do computers work