INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

Chapter 2
Components of the System
Unit
Ansar Javed
Govt. Graduate College Garhmaharaja, Jhang.
 System Unit
• System unit is the main body of the computer
• It is a case that contains different electronic components of the computer
• These components include a central processing unit, memory (i.e. RAM, ROM), disk
drives, power supply, computer fan, and other electronic components
• All these components are connected to motherboard inside the system unit
• All computers and mobile devices have a system unit
• Input/output devices and some storage devices such as USB flash drive are
connected with system unit
• Different types of computers have system units of different shapes and sizes
• In laptop computers, keyboard with a pointing device is built on the top of the
system unit
• Display screen is attached to system unit with hinges
• Similarly, in mobile devices and many other mobile computers, display screen and
keyboard are often built on system unit
System Unit
 Motherboard
• Motherboard is the main circuit board of the system unit
• It is also known as the system board or main board
• It is the most important circuit board inside the system unit
• Many electronic components are connected to motherboard and some
components are built into it
• Processor chip and memory chips are plugged (installed) into motherboard
• Motherboard contains sockets or slots on which electronic components are
installed
 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• Also known as a processor, chip, and CPU
• CPU is considered as the brain of the computer
• It performs different operations on data according to given instructions
• It also manages other operations of the computer
• CPU used in a personal computer is known as a microprocessor
• It is located on motherboard inside the system unit
• Today most of the processor chips are multi-core processors
• A multi-core processor is a single chip that contains two or more processors
• Each processor is called processor core or simply core
• Operating system views each processor core as a separate processor
• A multi-core processor typically increases overall performance of computer
system
 Data Representation
• Data and instructions must be converted into binary form
• Binary digit ‘0’ or ‘1’ is called a bit
• A group of 8-bits is called byte (basic storage unit in memory)
• Usually, a single character is represented by one byte
• Representation of data and instructions in binary form is called a coding
scheme
• Most widely used coding scheme is ASCII (American Standard Code for
Information and Interchange)
• In 8-bit ASCII code, 256 characters can be represented
• For example, in ASCII coding scheme, alphabetic letter ‘A’ (lowercase
uppercase letter) is represented as ‘01000001’, while ‘a’ (lowercase letter) is
represented as ‘01100001’
 Memory Unit
• A component of computer that is used to
store data and instructions is called memory
• Personal computer contains a main memory
• Instructions of program and data are transferred to memory from a storage
device (i.e. hard disk), instructions and data exist in memory as bytes
• Each byte exists temporarily in a specific memory location that has an address
• The address is a unique number that identifies the location of a byte in
memory
• CPU reads data and instructions from main memory and processes data
according to given instructions
• Data and results of calculations are also stored in main memory
• Main memory is also known as working area of the computer
• A computer cannot work without having main memory
• Main memory of a computer consists of thousands or millions of cells
 Types of Memories
Volatile Memory
• A type of computer memory that requires continuous power (electricity) to
maintain stored information
• In this type of memory, data and instructions are stored temporarily
• It loses its contents (stored information) when computer is turned off
• So it is a temporary memory
• Examples → RAM, cache memory, and CPU registers
Non-Volatile Memory
• A type of computer memory that can maintain (retain) stored information even
when power supply is off (or interrupted)
• In this type of memory, data and instructions are stored permanently
• It does not lose its contents when the computer is turned off
• So it is a permanent memory
• Examples → ROM, flash memory, and all secondary storage devices
 Difference between RAM and ROM
ROM RAM
• Read only Memory • Random Access Memory
• Permanent Memory • Temporary memory
• Non-volatile Memory • Volatile memory
• Manufacturer of ROM can only • User can read and write data and
write data and programs into it at its programs into it at any time during
manufacturing time data processing
• Small storage capacity • Large storage capacity
• Data is written into it using special • Data is written into it using electrical
devices and ultraviolet rays devices
 Cache Memory
L1 Cache
• This type of cache memory is built into processor chip
• Its storage capacity is very small, ranging from 8 KB to 128 KB
• But in modern PCs, its common size is 32 KB or 64 KB
L2 Cache
• This type of cache memory is also built into processor chip but it is slower than
L1 cache
• However, its storage capacity is larger than L1 cache
• Its storage capacity is ranging from 64KB to 16MB
• Today, Advanced Transfer Cache (ATC) is used in processors (type of L2 cache)
• It is also built into the processor chip
• It is a very fast memory
• In PCs, its size is from 512 KB to 12 MB
L3 Cache
• This type of cache memory is not built into processor chip
• It is located on the motherboard between the processor and RAM
• It exists only in a computer that uses Advanced Transfer Cache (ATC)
• In PCs, its size is up to 8MB, and in servers and workstations, its size is from 8 MB
to 24 MB
 Expansion Slots
• A socket on motherboard in which expansion card (or adapter card) is
inserted (plugged in), is called an expansion slot
• Different expansion slots are available on motherboard to insert various
expansion cards
• For example, video display cards, sound cards, modem cards, memory cards,
and network cards are inserted into expansion slots
• Memory (RAM) card is inserted into memory slot
• Similarly, network interface card is inserted into an expansion slot to connect
computer to a network, and so on
• In modern computers, circuitry of many of these cards is integrated into
motherboard to reduce size and cost
 Expansion Cards
• An expansion card is a small circuit board which is inserted into an expansion slot on
motherboard
• It is also known as an adapter card, adapter board, add-on card, interface card, or just card
• It is used to add additional peripheral devices to a computer system
• It means that an expansion card provides a connection to a peripheral device and controls
its working
• Examples of peripheral devices are monitor, modem, disk drive, printer, scanner, keyboard,
mouse, etc.
• For example, a network interface card (NIC) is used in a computer to connect it to a local
area network (LAN)
• Similarly, a sound card is used in a computer to connect microphones, headphones, and
speakers
• Some important types of adapter cards are video cards, sound cards, and network
interface cards
• In a modern computer, motherboard includes all necessary capabilities about peripheral
devices and don’t require adapter cards
• For example, sound and video functions may be built into motherboard
 Ports & Connectors
• A point at which a peripheral device (such as
keyboard, mouse, monitor, modem, etc.) is
connected to the computer or mobile device is called
port
• Ports provide a standard way of communication
between computer and its peripheral devices
• A computer or mobile device has different types of
ports to connect different peripheral devices
• For example, in a desktop personal computer, system
unit contains different ports on its front and back
• A peripheral device comes with a cable and a
connector
• A connector joins a cable to a port
• It is connected with computer by plugging its
connector into a port
 Computer Buses
• A computer consists of different components and devices such as CPU, main memory, I/O
devices, etc.
• These components and devices are interconnected by using a set of parallel lines or wires
• These are electrical paths or channels
• A set of electrical paths/channels through which computer (CPU) sends and receives data
and instructions (and also sends command signals) to and from different components of
computer is called a computer bus
• Computer bus is backbone of computer and a computer cannot perform any function
without it
• Various devices or components of a computer communicate with each other through
buses
• For example, buses are used to transfer data from the input device to memory, from
memory to output device or storage device, or between memory and processor
• Capacity of a bus depends upon the number of data lines it contains
• Amount of data (or the number of bits) that a Bus can carry at one time from one
component of the computer to another is known as bus width
• For example, a bus with 32 lines can transfer 32 bits (or 4 bytes) at a time
• Larger number of bits handled by bus, faster the data transfer rate of the computer
 Power Supply
• Power supply is an electrical component that supplies power to computer
• It is installed inside system unit and has its own cooling fan
• It is a simple electrical system that converts AC power into DC power
• It takes 240 or 110 AC voltage and converts it into DC voltages of 3V, 6V, 12V,
and 24V
• Low DC voltage is required to operate different components of a computer
 AC Adapter
• Some external peripheral devices such as an external modem, router,
speakers, etc. require an AC adapter as a power supply
• It is an external power supply which also converts AC power into DC power
that the peripheral devices require
• AC Adapter is also called an AC converter or charger
• One end of AC adapter is plugged in the wall outlet and the other end is
attached to peripheral device
 Battery
• A battery is a hardware component that can be charged electrically and can
be used as a source of power
• Mobile phones and other mobile devices run using batteries
• Similarly, mobile computers such as laptops can also run using batteries
For more details, refers to

PM Series

Introduction to Computer

by
CM Aslam, Aqsa Aslam, Mussadiq Fida, & Mudassir
Ahmad

Publisher:Majeed Sons
22- Urdu Bazar, Lahore