Internal Components Flashcards
Bus
The communication system that allows data to be transferred between the components inside a computer. The term bus comes from the Latin word omnibus that means for all.
Central processing unit (CPU)
The most important part of any modern computer system; it controls the other parts of the computer.
Random access memory (RAM)
The main memory of a computer that can be quickly accessed by the CPU. It is where the computer stores data and instructions that it is actively using.
Motherboard
A large, flat computer component that connects the important components of the computer, such as the CPU, RAM, and the BIOS chip. It also has power and other communications connections.
Power supply
A unit that supplies electricity to the motherboard and other computer components.
Graphics processing unit (GPU)
An additional computer processor that provides graphics processing. It improves performance by relieving the CPU of this duty.
Network interface card (NIC)
A component, sometimes built into and sometimes plugged into the motherboard, that provides network connectivity.
Cooling system
Components, including heat sinks and fans, that keep computer components from overheating.
Electrostatic discharge
An event in which two objects with different charge levels come together resulting in an electrostatic shock.
The fetch-execute cycle
A three-step cycle (fetch, decode, and execute) that processors use to execute instructions.
x86 processors
A family of processors manufactured by Intel and AMD that use a common instruction set (list of commands that the processor can execute).
Advanced RISC Machines (ARM) processors
A family of processors most often used in smartphones due to its lower power requirements. This is accomplished by reducing the processors’ instruction set.
Expansion card
A circuit board that connects to a computer’s motherboard, giving it additional power or functionality.
Heat sink
A computer component that attaches to a chip (such as a CPU) that disperses heat and prevents overheating.
Air cooling
A common method of cooling that uses fans to move hot air out of a system.
