INTERNAL PARTS OF A COMPUTER AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - TECHNOLOGY - 2026

Among the internal parts of a computer, the motherboard and the central processor stand out. The motherboard is a complex circuit that provides the connections necessary for the system to function.

Computers are made up of hundreds of internal parts that guarantee their operation. These elements cannot be seen with the naked eye, since they are found inside the equipment: in the case, on the monitor, on the keyboard, among others.

For its part, the processor is the "brain" of the computer, in charge of recovering, decoding, executing and rewriting the commands of the computer. Processors do not act at will, but rather follow a series of instructions installed by a programmer.

Other internal parts of the computer are the central memory (ROM and RAM), the optical reading devices, the buses, the system clock, the internal storage, the hard disk, the video card, the expansion slots and the source. feeding.

List of internal parts of a computer

Computers have hundreds of internal parts that make them work. Below are the twelve most important ones.

1- Motherboard

The motherboard is one of the most important elements of a computer, since the operation of the equipment depends on it. It is a heat resistant plastic plate.

On this board there are a series of printed circuits that create connections with other elements of the computer: the processor, memories and peripheral elements (monitor, keyboard, mouse, among others).

2- Processor

The processor is the brain of the computer. This is composed of two basic units: the arithmetic-logical unit and the control unit.

The arithmetic-logical unit is responsible for making computations and logical reasoning. For its part, the control unit interprets the commands given by a program and transforms these into executable commands by the computer system.

3- Random access memory

Random Access Memory (RAM) is one of the types of memory that a computer has.

It is volatile memory, because the information stored here disappears once the computer is turned off. Data archived in random access memory can be edited, rewritten, saved, and deleted by users.

It is said to be random access since a file can be read without going through the previous file. This differentiates it from sequential devices, such as cassette, where it is necessary to play the files in a specific order.

4- Read memory

Read Only Memory (ROM) is the second type of memory that a computer is equipped with.

Unlike random access memory, the information stored in read memory is not available to the user and does not disappear when the computer is turned off.

The data stored in the reading memory is of vital importance for the operation of the equipment. For this reason, they cannot be edited, rewritten or deleted, since the loss of one of these files could damage the computer.

5- Buses

Buses are the set of cables that carry information from the motherboard and processor to other parts of the computer, and vice versa. The transmitted information circulates in the form of electrical impulses encoded in the binary system.

There are three types of buses: data buses, direction buses, and control buses. Data buses are the ones that transmit information.

The direction buses indicate where the information must be transmitted. Lastly, control buses carry commands that regulate computer processes.

6- Optical devices

Optical devices are reading elements that allow the information stored on discs to be decoded.

7- System clock

Each component of a computer works at a different speed. However, these components need to be organized for the system to function properly.

The function of the system clock is to set the rate at which each device in the computer must work, so that they work as a whole.

8- Internal storage

Internal storage is the part of the computer that archives information and does not delete it even when the computer has been turned off. The hard drive is one of the most common internal storage devices.

9- Hard disk

The hard drive is a long-term storage system. This allows you to archive information that the computer will use more than once.

When the computer needs a file from the hard drive, it copies it and loads it into RAM. When no longer needed, the file can be erased from RAM but will always remain on the hard drive.

The storage capacity of the hard disk is greater than that of the RAM memory. Some computers have 500 gigabytes, while others exceed terabytes.

10- Video card

The video card or controller is a microprocessor that is responsible for producing the images and graphics that are displayed on the monitor.

It is connected directly to or integrated into the motherboard. It is also connected to the monitor via a series of buses.

Basically, the video card transforms the images into a dot matrix, which is based on a binary system.

If you want a dot to light, then the corresponding number will be 1. If you want it to stay off, the corresponding number will be 0.

11- Expansion slots

The expansion slots are usually found on the back of the computer and allow you to install other devices (such as external memories, printers, among others).

12- Power supply

Computers run on direct current that generally does not exceed 20 volts. However, the current found in homes is alternating from 100-240 volts.

So, for a computer to be able to turn on, it is necessary to transform alternating current into direct current and decrease its voltage. The power supply fulfills this function.

Some computers also have Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS), which provide power to the computer even when it is not connected to the electrical current network.

References

1. Internal Computer Hardware. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from openbookproject.net
2. Internal Parts of a Computer. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from itstillworks.com
3. Computer Basics: Inside a Computer. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from gcflearnfree.org
4. Internal Components of a Desktop PC. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from usewindows.com
5. Computer Hardware. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org
6. Internal and External Hardware Components in a Computer. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from lawrencealbuquerque.wordpress.com
7. External and Internal Computer Components. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from sites.google.com