Discovering Computers

Fundamentals,
2010 Edition
Living in a Digital World
Objectives Overview

See Page 155 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 2

for Detailed Objectives Chapter 4
Objectives Overview

See Page 155 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 3

for Detailed Objectives Chapter 4
The System Unit

• The system unit is a case that contains electronic

components of the computer used to process data

Page 156 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 4

Figure 4-1 Chapter 4
The System Unit

• The inside of the system unit on a desktop

personal computer includes:

Page 157 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 5

Figure 4-2 Chapter 4
The System Unit

• The motherboard is the main circuit board of the

system unit
– A computer chip contains integrated circuits

Page 158 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 6

Figure 4-3 Chapter 4
Processor

• The processor, also called the central processing

unit (CPU), interprets and carries out the basic
instructions that operate a computer
– Contain a control unit and an arithmetic logic unit
(ALU)

Page 159 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 7

Chapter 4
Processor

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click Chapter 4, Click Web
Link from left navigation,
then click Multi-Core
Processors below Chapter 4
Page 159 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 8
Figure 4-4 Chapter 4
Processor

• The control unit is the component of the

processor that directs and coordinates most of
the operations in the computer
• The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs
arithmetic, comparison, and other operations

Pages 159 - 160 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 9

Chapter 4
Processor

• For every instruction, a processor repeats a set of

four basic operations, which comprise a machine
cycle

Page 160 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 10

Figure 4-5 Chapter 4
Processor

Pages 160 - 161 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 11

Chapter 4
Memory

• Memory consists of electronic components that

store instructions waiting to be executed by the
processor, data needed by those instructions, and
the results of processing the data
• Stores three basic categories of items:

Page 163 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 12

Chapter 4
Memory

• Each location in memory has an address

• Memory size is measured in kilobytes (KB or K),
megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), or terabytes
(TB)

Page 164 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 13

Figure 4-11 Chapter 4
Memory

• The system unit contains two types of memory:

Pages 164 - 165 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 14

Chapter 4
Memory

Page 165 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 15

Figure 4-12 Chapter 4
Memory

• Three basic types of RAM chips exist:

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click Chapter 4, Click Web
Link from left navigation,
then click RAM
below Chapter 4
Page 166 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 16
Chapter 4
Memory

• RAM chips usually reside on a memory module

and are inserted into memory slots

Page 166 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 17

Figure 4-13 Chapter 4
Memory

• The amount of RAM necessary in a computer

often depends on the types of software you plan
to use
• Memory cache speeds the processes of the
computer because it stores frequently used
instructions and data

Pages 166 - 167 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 18

Chapter 4
Memory

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click Chapter 4, Click Web
Link from left navigation,
then click ROM
below Chapter 4
Page 167 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 19
Chapter 4
Memory

• Flash memory can be

erased electronically
and rewritten
– CMOS technology
provides high speeds
and consumes little
power

Pages 167 – 168 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 20

Figure 4-14 Chapter 4
Memory

• Access time is the amount of time it takes the

processor to read from memory
– Measured in nanoseconds

Page 168 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 21

Figures 4-15 – 4-16 Chapter 4
Expansion Slots and Adapter Cards
• An expansion slot is a
socket on the motherboard
that can hold an adapter
card
• An adapter card enhances
functions of a component of
the system unit and/or
provides connections to
peripherals
– Sound card and video card
Click to view Web Link,
click Chapter 4, Click Web
Link from left navigation,
then click Video Cards
below Chapter 4
Page 169 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 22
Figure 4-17 Chapter 4
Expansion Slots and Adapter Cards

• Removable flash memory includes:

– Memory cards, USB flash drives, and PC
Cards/ExpressCard modules

Pages 169 - 170 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 23

Figure 4-19 Chapter 4
Ports and Connectors

Pages 170 - 171 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 24

Chapter 4
Ports and Connectors

Page 170 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 25

Figure 4-20 Chapter 4
Ports and Connectors

• On a notebook computer, the ports are on the

back, front, and/or sides

Pages 170 - 171 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 26

Figure 4-21 Chapter 4
Ports and Connectors

• A USB port can connect up to 127 different

peripherals together with a single connector
– You can attach multiple peripherals using a single USB
port with a USB hub

Click to view Web Link,

click Chapter 4, Click Web
Link from left navigation,
then click USB Ports
below Chapter 4
Pages 171 - 172 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 27
Figure 4-22 Chapter 4
Ports and Connectors

• Other types of ports include:

Click to view Web Link,

click Chapter 4, Click Web
Link from left navigation,
then click Firewire
below Chapter 4
Pages 172 - 173 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 28
Chapter 4
Ports and Connectors
• A port replicator is an
external device that
provides connections to
peripherals through ports
built into the device
• A docking station is an
external device that
attaches to a mobile
computer or device

Page 173 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 29

Figure 4-23 Chapter 4
Buses
• A bus allows the various
devices both inside and
attached to the system
unit to communicate with
each other
– Data bus
– Address bus
• A computer can have
these basic types of
buses:
– System bus
– Backside bus
– Expansion bus

Page 174 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 30

Figure 4-24 Chapter 4
Bays

• A bay is an opening
inside the system unit in
which you can install
additional equipment
– A drive bay typically
holds disk drives

Page 175 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 31

Figure 4-25 Chapter 4
Power Supply

Page 175 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 32

Chapter 4
Putting It All Together

Page 176 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 33

Figure 4-26 Chapter 4
Putting It All Together

Page 176 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 34

Figure 4-26 Chapter 4
Keeping Your Computer
or Mobile Device Clean

Page 177 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 35

Chapter 4
Summary

Page 178 Discovering Computers Fundamentals, 2010 Edition 36

Chapter 4
Discovering Computers
Fundamentals,
2010 Edition
Living in a Digital World

Chapter 4 Complete