Internal Computing Components

Internal Computer Components

• The motherboard is like the nervous system of the computer.

• All other internal components are connected to the motherboard.

• Electrical signals are conducted through the motherboard and without the motherboard, nothing else functions

​The Motherboard

Multiple Choice

A computer can still perform basic operations even without the motherboard.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The motherboard is similar to what part of your body?

• the nervous system

• the eyes

• the brain

• the stomach

Multiple Choice

What does the motherboard use to communicate?

• Light puzzles

• technical words

• electrical signals

• radio waves

Multiple Choice

All internal components of computer connect to the motherboard.

• True

• False

• If you want to connect to the Internet or a local area network, you will need a network interface card (NIC).

• An NIC can be either wired, allowing for a wired ethernet connection, or wireless, allowing for Wi-Fi (or both).

• Each NIC is assigned a MAC (media access control) address

​NIC

• A MAC address is a unique hexadecimal number assigned to a NIC that identifies the manufacturer and NIC much like a VIN does for a vehicle.

Multiple Choice

Any device that can connect to a network must have a Network Interface Card (NIC)

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

A device using a NIC can connect through a wired connection or a wireless connection but cannot do both.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

It is possible for two NICs to legitimately have the same MAC address.

• True

• False

• The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is like the spinal cord.

• Responsible for processing instructions.

• The more processing power = the more expensive

• Intel: “Celeron, Pentium, Core, Xeon”

• AMD: “Sempron, Athlon, and Phenom, Ryzen”.

​CPU

Multiple Choice

Usually, the more processing power a CPU is capable of the more expensive the CPU is.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The CPU is similar to what part of your body?

• The Spinal cord

• The Cardiovascular system

• The heart

• The lungs

• Internal components can get very hot especially our processing units (CPU and GPU)

• There are two options for cooling, air and liquid.

• A heatsink will be placed directly on the unit and either a fan is placed on the heatsink to allow air to “pull” the heat away or a “loop” is built where liquid coolant is used to draw heat away.

• Some computers use both methods.

• Cases themselves will have fans to help push out any hot air trapped within the computer or pull in the cooler surrounding air

​Heatsink/Fan

Multiple Select

What are two options for cooling internal computing components?

• metal

• ice

• liquid coolant

• air

Multiple Choice

Air cooling and liquid cooling methods can be used together inside the same computer.

• True

• False

• In order to display something on a monitor, a graphics processing unit (GPU) is needed

• For basic computing integrated GPU (part of the CPU) is sufficient

• For gaming, video editing, etc., a dedicated GPU is necessary.

• The two major manufacturers of GPUs are Nvidia and AMD.

​GPU

Multiple Choice

For gaming, video editing, and other applications required advanced graphics capabilities, a dedicated GPU is necessary

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The two major manufacturers of GPUs are presented in the slides are

• Intel and AMD

• Apple and Samsung

• Nvidia and AMD

• Nvidia and Apple

Multiple Choice

A GPU can be integrated into a CPU.

• True

• False

Firmware

​Every motherboard has a chip with a setup code

• Firmware is software that provides basic machine instructions that allow the hardware to function and communicate with other software running on a device.

• Most modern systems come with Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) firmware

• Older systems (and a small portion of current systems) use Basic Input Output System (BIOS) firmware.

Multiple Choice

Where is the firmware located?

• On a chip inside the CPU

• On a chip in the motherboard

• On a chip inside the GPU

• On a chip the NIC

Multiple Choice

Most modern systems come with ____ firmware

• BIOS

• UEFI

• FIBO

• UEOS

Multiple Choice

Most older systems come with __________ firmware

• UFOS

• UEFI

• BIOS

• BUOS

• RAM (Random Access Memory) is like the conscious part of the brain that provides access to short-term random information needed in real-time.

• RAM is volatile and is erased once the computer is switched off.

• Each motherboard is only capable of handling only one type of RAM.

• DDR3 (very commonly used in today’s laptops)

• DDR4 (very commonly used in today’s desktops)

​RAM

Multiple Choice

You can improve the performance of a motherboard by combining different types of RAM.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Most laptops use ___________ RAM.

• DDR1

• DDR2

• DDR3

• DDR4

Multiple Choice

Most Desktops use __________ RAM

• DDR2

• DDR3

• DDR4

• DDR5

A solid state drive has no moving parts, instead it uses circuit boards and microchips to store data.

​Solid State Drive (SSD)

A hard drive uses solid disks of magnetic material turning at high speeds to store and retrieve programs (relatively similar to a phonograph record)

​Hard Drive (HD)

Long-term Memory

Long term memory is like the unconscious part of the brain necessary for storing memories.

Multiple Select

Which is considered long-term memory. Choose all that apply.

• A hard drive

• A solid state drive

• random access memory

• a central processing unit

• a heatsink

Multiple Choice

Which type of long-term memory has no moving parts?

• a solid state drive

• a hard drive

• a midnight drive

• random access memory

Multiple Choice

Which type of long-term memory device using magnetic disks spinning at high speeds to store and retrieve information?

• firmware

• a solid state drive

• random access memory

• a hard drive

Multiple Choice

What do solid state drives use to store data?

• spinning disks

• circuits and microchips

• magnetic tape and light pulses

• punch cards and duct tape

Multiple Choice

Hard drives and solid state drives are forms of volatile memory.

• True

• False

Internal Computing Components

ARM Architecture

Acorn RISC Machine/ Advanced RISC Machine

• ARM architecture specifies a set of rules that dictate how the hardware works when a particular instruction is executed. Created by Acorn, Inc..

• RISC = Reduced Instruction Set Computer (Samsung and Qualcomm)

• CISC = Complex Instruction Set Computer (Intel and AMD Processors)

• The ARM architecture is used in the integration of System-on-Chip (SoC) devices such as smartphones, microcomputers, embedded devices, etc.

• The simplified design of Arm processors offers more efficient multicore processing and easier coding for developers but less raw compute throughput as Intel and AMD CPUs. (MS Surface, Apple M1 chips, Chromebooks)

Multiple Choice

The ARM architecture is used in the integration of System-on-Chip (SoC) devices such as smartphones

• True

• False

Multiple Select

What is the benefit of ARM architecture in processing chips? (Choose 2)

• Better integration into desktop and laptop PCs

• Easier coding for developer

• More efficient multicore processing

• More compute throughput than CISC processors like Intel

32 bit vs 64 bit Architecture

• Most desktop computer CPUs today use 64-bit architecture (x64).

• MacOS Catalina, MAC users have lost support for 32-bit (x86) applications.

• Windows with 64-bit CPUs are still able to run 32-bit programs through a process known as emulation.

• An emulator is hardware or software that enables one computer system (the host) to behave like another computer system (the guest).

• WOW64 is the x86 emulator that allows 32-bit Windows-based applications to run seamlessly on 64-bit Windows.

Multiple Choice

Windows computers with 64-bit CPUs are NOT able to run 32-bit programs.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

x86 is a ____________ architecture.

• 32 bit

• 64 bit

• 128 bit

• 256 bit

Multiple Choice

Windows computers with 32-bit CPUs are NOT able to run 64-bit programs.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the x86 emulator that allows 32-bit Windows-based applications to run seamlessly on 64-bit Windows.

• MOM64

• WOW64

• POW86

• YOLO32