Components of a computer system (PAPER 1) Flashcards
(122 cards)
What is a computer
A machine that processes data
What is the purpose of a computer
to take data, process it and then output it
What does a computer system consist of
hardware and software that work together to process data and complete tasks
What is hardware
physical things that make up a computer system
What is software
programs or applications that a computer system runs
What are external pieces of hardware known as
peripherals
What is a general purpose computer
a computer designed to perform many tasks
What is a dedicated system computer
a computer designed to perform one particular function
What is an embedded system
a computer inside a larger system
What are the two types of computer
general purpose and dedicated system
What type of computer do embedded systems tend to be
dedicated system
What is a control system
a system that monitors and controls machinery in order to achieve a desired result
What are the advantages of using a dedicated system instead of a general purpose computer
- cheaper to produce
- easier to design
- more efficient
What are nine key parts to a desktop PC
- power supply
- case cooling fan
- CPU heat sink, cooling fan
- CPU
- Graphics card
- Motherboard
- Hard Disk Drive
- RAM
- Optical Drive
What is the purpose of a power supply
supplies power to motherboard and other hardware
What is the purpose of a case cooling fan
to extract heat from the computer case
What is the purpose of a CPU heat sink and cooling fan
to keep the CPU at a constant temperature
What is the motherboard
The main circuit board where hardware is connected
What is the optical drive used for
for read / writing optical discs
What does CPU stand for
Central Processing Unit
What is the overall job of the CPU
to process the data and instructions that make the system work
What are the two main types of architecture of CPU
Harvard and Von Neumann
What are the three main parts of the CPU
- control unit
- Arithmetic Logic Unit
- Cache
What are the two main jobs of the control unit
- manage fetching, decoding, execution of program instruction
- control the flow of data inside and outside the CPU