chapter 14 - COMPUTING by Unay Livia Garcia

What is a computer?

liviaunay — 2025-10-03 09:46:11 UTC

Computers are not itelligent: they are tools that follow instructions perfectly and quickly.

They follow instructions from the user and from the computers programmer.

Applications are sets of instructions.

Hardware

liviaunay — 2025-10-08 09:46:04 UTC

Hardware is the part of the computer that we can touch.

The hardware is the components that are interconnected. The computer needs all those components, but they are independent and we can change any of them.

The basic components are the CPU, the memory, the graphics card and the peripherals.

CPU

liviaunay — 2025-10-08 09:47:39 UTC

The CPU is a big, green, plastic board with a lot of chips and many other electronic components.

The central processing, it is the "brain" of the computer; it looks at the information and takes decisions based on logic.

MEMORY

liviaunay — 2025-10-08 09:59:10 UTC

MEMORY:

Memory stores information.

There are various types of memory in the computer:

FIXED MEMORIES

They normally stay inside the computer.

1. Hard disc

2. RAM

PORTABLE MEMORIES

They are easy to connect and disconnect from the computer. Also, they are easy to carry.

CDs, DVDs: We call them "optical memories" because they use light to work.

Pen drives, memory cards: They store the information in chips.

GRAPHICS CARD:

liviaunay — 2025-10-08 17:45:25 UTC

The graphics card looks similar to the RAM. It is also a green plastic card with chips. It defines the format of the graphics and helps the processor to process the graphics faster. We need a powerful graphics cards to play video games, to watch movies and for graphic design.

PERIPHERALS:

liviaunay — 2025-10-08 17:48:32 UTC

Peripherals are elements of communication between the computer and the outside world (including ourselves).

1. Entry peripherals

2. Exit peripherals

Software

liviaunay — 2025-10-10 06:29:01 UTC

Software is the part of the computer that we can't touch.

It is the logic that the computer follows.

The programmer writes instructions. A set of instructions is a "program". When we use a program, the computer follows the instructions in the program.