Section 2 - What is a Computer
What is a computer?
A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or data. It has the ability to store, retrieve, and process data.
What is a computer case?
The computer case is the metal and plastic box that contains the main components of the computer, including the motherboard, central processing unit (CPU), and power supply.
What buttons does the front of a computer case contain?
Optical Disc Drive, Power button, Audio In/Out, USB Ports.
What is the function of the Motherboard?
It's a thin plate that holds the CPU, memory, connectors for the hard drive and optical drives, expansion cards to control the video and audio, and connections to your computer's ports (such as USB ports).
What is a laptop computer?
A laptop is a personal computer that can be easily moved and used in a variety of locations.
What is software?
Software is any set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do and how to do it. Examples of software include web browsers, games, and word processors.
The monitor works with a video card, located inside the computer case, to display images and text on the screen.
What buttons does the back of a computer case contain?
Audio In/Out, Monitor Port, USB Ports, Ethernet Port, Serial Port, Expansion Ports, Power Socket.
What is the function of the Hard Drive?
The hard drive is where your software, documents, and other files are stored. The hard drive is long-term storage, which means the data is still saved even if you turn the computer off or unplug it.
How is a laptop different from a desktop?
A laptop has an all-in-one design, with a built-in monitor, keyboard, touchpad (which replaces the mouse), and speakers. This means it is fully functional, even when no peripherals are connected. A laptop is also quicker to set up, and there are fewer cables to get in the way.
What is hardware?
Hardware is any part of your computer that has a physical structure, such as the keyboard or mouse. It also includes all of the computer's internal parts.
What is the function of the keyboard?
The keyboard is one of the main ways to communicate with a computer.
What other types of ports are also used?
FireWire, Thunderbolt, and HDMI.
What is the function of the Power Supply Unit?
The power supply unit in a computer converts the power from the wall outlet to the type of power needed by the computer.
What is the function of the Touchpad?
The Touchpad is a touch-sensitive pad that lets you control the pointer by making a drawing motion with your finger.
What are the different types of computers?
Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, Servers, TVs, Smartphones.
What is the function of a mouse?
It lets you point to objects on the screen, click on them, and move them.
What are other items you can use with your computer?
Printers, Scanners, Speaker/Headphones, Microphones, Web Cameras, Game Controllers, Digital Cameras, Mobile Phones, MP3 Players, Tablets and other items.
The video card is responsible for what you see on the monitor.
What is the function of the AC Adapter?
A laptop usually has a specialized power cable called an AC adapter, which is designed to be used with that specific type of laptop.
Who manufactured the Macintosh (Mac) computers?
All Macs are made by one company (Apple), and they almost always use the Mac OS X operating system.
What are the alternatives for the Mouse?
Trackball and Touchpad.
What is the function of the scanner?
A scanner allows you to copy a physical image or document and save it to your computer as a digital (computer-readable) image.
What is the function of the RAM (Random Access Memory)?
RAM is your system's short-term memory. Whenever your computer performs calculations, it temporarily stores the data in the RAM until it is needed.
Are Laptops more expensive than Desktop Computers?
Generally speaking, laptops tend to be more expensive than a desktop computer with the same internal components.