What is a motherboard?

While the basic functions of a motherboard have not changed over time, what has changed?

• The size of the motherboard

• The types of slots to connect with graphic cards, hard drives and other pieces of hardware

• None of these have changed

• The type and number of connectors to communicate with external devices

• All of these have changed

What do the electrical connections between the various components of a motherboard consist of?

• electrical cables inside the plastic sheet

• copper wires

• chipsets

• thin and narrow pieces of metallic foil referred to as traces.

Where on the motherboard are the start up instructions for the computer stored?

• DRAM memory slots

• CPU

• Northbridge

• ROM memory chip

Which of the following statements about motherboards is false?

• A motherboard contains a hard drive to store files.

• A motherboard contains the central processing unit.

• A motherboard contains heat sinks to dissipate the heat generated by the CPU and other components.

• A motherboard contains several connectors to communicate with external devices

What do IDE and SATA stand for?

• different chipsets used on motherboards

• Different types of memory chips

• Different types of connectors for hard drives

• Different companies that manufacture motherboards.