The CPU & GPU
What does the CPU do in a computer?
The CPU is the brain of the computer. It does most of the work.
What is the big main circuit board that all the other computer parts plug into?
The motherboard
Where does the computer save your games, photos, and files so they are still there after you turn it off?
Storage (the hard drive or SSD)
What does RAM stand for?
Random Access Memory
Why does a computer need cooling?
Its parts get hot when they work, and too much heat can damage them
What does the GPU do in a computer?
It processes all of the video and images in a computer. It handles the screen.
What part of the motherboard does the CPU plug into?
The CPU socket
What does SSD stand for?
Solid State Drive
Is RAM the computer's short-term memory or long-term memory?
Short-term memory
What spins around to blow air through the computer case?
A fan
What are other names for CPU & GPU?
The CPU can be called the processor and the GPU can be called the Graphics Card.
What kind of slot on the motherboard does a graphics card plug into?
A PCIe slot (PCI Express)
Which is faster: an SSD, or an HDD (a drive with a spinning disk inside)?
An SSD
What happens to everything stored in RAM when you turn the computer off?
It gets erased
What gray paste goes between the CPU and its cooler?
Thermal paste
What do CPU & GPU stand for?
What small coin-shaped battery on the motherboard remembers the time and settings when the computer is unplugged?
The CMOS battery
Which holds more: 1 TB or 500 GB?
1 TB (1 TB is about 1,000 GB)
RAM size is measured in what unit? (Hint: 8, 16, or 32 ___)
Gigabytes (GB)
What metal part with lots of thin fins pulls heat away from a chip?
A heatsink
Where is the CPU and GPU?
The CPU is mostly hidden on the motherboard, and The GPU is mostly on the front.
What program runs first when you turn on the computer, before Windows starts?
The BIOS (or UEFI)
What small, stick-shaped SSD plugs right into the motherboard with no cables?
An M.2 SSD
Which is the newest kind of RAM: DDR3, DDR4, or DDR5?
DDR5
What kind of cooling uses liquid, a pump, and tubes to cool the CPU?
Liquid cooling (water cooling)