Computer Hardware
Computer hardware includes the physical parts of a computer,
such as a case, central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM),
monitor, and mouse which processes the input according to the set of
instructions provided to it by the user and gives the desired output.
The
computer has mainly had two major components:
1.
Hardware
2.
Software
What
is Computer Hardware?
Computer hardware is a physical device of computers that we can
see and touch. For e.g. Monitor, Central processing unit , mouse etc. Using
these devices, we can control computer operations like input and output
Computer Hardware Parts
These hardware components are further divided into the following
categories, which are:
1.
Input Devices
2.
Output Devices
3.
Storage Devices
4.
Internal Components
1. Input Devices
Input Devices are those devices with
the help of which the user interacts with the computer. Or, In other words,
with the help of input devices, the user enters the data or information into
the computer. This information or data is accepted by the input devices
and converted into a computer-acceptable format, which is further sent to the
computer system for processing.
·
Keyboard: It is the most common and main input device for computers.
The data is inputted by typing on the keyboard. It contains numeric keys, alphabet keys, and different function keys as
well. Earlier, it was connected to the computer via cable, now as technology
has advanced, you can connect a keyboard using Bluetooth.
·
Mouse: A mouse is a kind of pointing device which is rolled over to
control the cursor on the screen and it has functional keys like left, middle,
and right buttons. Using these functional keys, on by the click of which an
object is selected or to open a file by just a click of a mouse. It also
consists of a sensor inside which notifies its speed to the computer and
according to which the cursor is moved on the screen.
·
Scanner: As the name suggests, it scans images, documents, etc., and
converts them into digital form and that can be further edited and used. It
works just like a Xerox machine.
·
Track Ball: It is a device much like an upside-down mouse. It does not
use much space for movement like a mouse. As the trackball remains stationary
and the user moves the ball in various directions, it affects the screen
movements directly.
·
Light Pen: It is a light-sensitive device and it is touched to the CRT Screen where
it can detect, a raster on the screen as it passes by and, with the help of
this user can draw anything like lines, figures, or any objects.
· Microphone: It is a kind of voice input system that can be attached to a computer system to record sounds. It converts human speech or voice into electrical signals. This electrical signal is processed by the computer and the word is recognized.
·
Optical Character Reader: It is used to detect alphanumeric characters that are
written or printed on paper using a low-frequency light source. This light is
absorbed by the dark areas and reflected by the light areas, now this reflected
light is received by the photocells. It is like a scanner.
·
Bar Code Reader: It is used to read bar codes and convert them into electric
pulse which will further processed by the computer. Here, the barcode is
data that is coded into white and black lines (or light and dark lines).
2. Output Devices
These are the devices that are used to display the output of any
task given to the computer in human-readable form.
·
Monitor: The monitor is the main output device. It is also called
visual display unit and it looks like a TV screen. The Monitor displays
the information from the computer. It is used to display text, video, images,
etc.
·
Printer: A printer is an output device that transfers data from
the computer in a printed format by using text or images on paper. There are
both colored and black & white printers. Further, there are also different
types of printers, like laser printer ,dot-matrix printers, and
Inkjet printers.
·
Plotter: It is similar to a printer but potters are large in size. A
plotter is used to generate large drawings, architectural blueprints, etc. on
paper and these are high-quality images and drawings and large in size.
·
Speakers: It is a very common output device and it gives sound as an
output. Speaker is generally used to play music or anything having sound.
3. Storage Devices
There are some devices that are used for storage purposes and are known as secondary storage devices.
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1. CD (Compact disc): A CD is
circular in shape and made up of thin platted glass and plastic polycarbonate
material. It has a storage capacity of 600 MB to 700 MB of data. It has a
standard size of 12 cm with a hole in the center of about 1.5 cm and 1.2 mm in
thickness. There are basically 3 types of CDs, which are:
·
CD-ROM (CD – Read Only
Memory): Contents of this type of CD
cannot be erased by the user. Only the publisher is allowed to access the data
imprinted on this CD.CD-Rom is basically used for commercial purposes like
for a music album or any application package by a software company.
·
CD-R (CD-Recordable): In this, content or data can be stored once. After that, they can
be read many times but the data or content cannot be rewritten or erased. (Kind
of one-time use)
·
CD-RW(CD-Rewritable): As the name suggests, this type of CD is used to rewrite the
content or erase previous content and again write new content many times.
2. DVD (Digital Video/Versatile Disc): A DVD is the same as a CD but with some more features. A DVD
comes in single and dual-layer formats. It has much greater storage capacity in
comparison to CD. The storage capacity of a DVD with one-sided single layer is
– 4.7 GB, one-sided double layer – 8.5 GB, double-sided single layer – 9.4 GB,
and double-sided double layer – 17 GB.
3. Hard Disk: An
Hard disk is a non-volatile storage device that uses its read/write heads
to store digital data on a magnetic surface of a rigid plate. It is generally
3.5 inches in size for desktops and 2.5 inches in size for laptops.
Hardware Components
1. CPU (Central Processing Unit)
The CPU is also known as the heart of the computer. It consists of three units, generally known as the control unit, Arithmetic logical unit(ALC) , and the memory unit .
2. Motherboard
It is the main circuit board inside a computer and it contains
most of the electronic components together. All the components of the computer
are directly or indirectly connected to the motherboard It includes RAM slots,
controllers, system chipsets, etc.
3. RAM (Random Access Memory)
It is also known as temporary or volatile memory. It holds the
program and data, which are currently in process or processing. All the data is
erased as soon as the computer is turned off or in case of a power failure.
Data stored in this memory can be changed.
4. Video Graphics Array Port
A video input commonly used on computer monitors is called a video
graphics array (VGA) port. Verifying that there isn’t a loose connection, a
damaged cable, or a broken display is one step in troubleshooting a VGA port.
Compressed air can also be sprayed inside the VGA port by a computer expert to
make sure it’s dust-free.
5. Power Supply
All of a computer system’s parts are powered by a power source.
Typically, a power cord is used to connect a computer tower to an electrical
outlet. By turning off the computer, unplugging and separating the power supply
cord, or trying a different cord or socket, a technician can diagnose the power
supply.
6. Cooling Fan
A computer’s system to prevent overheating uses cooling fans. To
aid customers who use their computers intensively, such as when streaming video
or playing games, many computers contain more than one cooling fan. If a user
detects their computer overheating, a computer expert might need to repair the
cooling fan. The blades may be examined for any damage and cleared of any
foreign objects. A technician’s standard method of troubleshooting may
involve replacing computer fans.
7. Hard Drive
On a computer system, files, programs, and other types of
information are stored on hard drives, which are data storage devices. They utilize
hard drives, which are magnetically coated discs used to store digital versions
of information. A computer technician can suspect a corrupt hard disk when a
hard drive die.
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