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a COMPUTER
COMPUTER
Components of a Computer
By definition, a It has the ability
computer is an to store, retrieve,
electronic and process
device that data.
manipulates
information or It contains both
What makes a data. h a r d w a r e
computer work? components
and software
applications.
 Hardware

The hardware It is any part of the A computer's

pertains to the computer that can hardware consists
computer's physical be seen and of interrelated
devices. touched. electronic devices
that are used to
manipulate the
c o m p u t e r ' s
operation, input
devices, and
output devices.
 Input Devices
Working with a computer Input devices enter or
would be ineffective if send data and
one does not intermingle in st ruct io n s f ro m t h e
with it because the user or from another
machine cannot accept computer system on
and receive instructions the internet while
and/or deliver an output output devices send
on its own. back the administered
data to the user or to
another computer
system.
The following are some of the
most common and important
input devices of a computer:
Keyboard
Keyboard is the most
common input device that
accepts letters, numbers,
and commands from the
user.
Mouse
Lets one select options from
on-screen menus.

A mouse is used by moving it

on a flat surface, pressing its
two buttons (left and right),
and scrolling the wheel that is
located between the buttons.
 There are also alternatives to using a mouse.
Trackball Touchpad/Trackpad
A trackball has a ball A touchpad also called a trackpad is a touch-
that can rotate using sensitive pad that lets the user move the
a finger or the palm pointer by touching and dragging his or her
of a hand to move finger on the pad.
the pointer.
Touchpads are commonly built-in on laptop
computers.
 Microphone
Allows a user to speak into the
computer to input data and
instructions.

While there are available stand-

alone microphones for computers,
most of the time, users buy a
headset—a combination of
microphone and earphones-for
the sake of practicality.
 Scanner
Scanner - There are Scanners look Another type becoming common
nowadays is the hand-held or
c o n v e r t s different types l i ke m i ni a t u r e portable scanners.
p r i n t e d of scanners printers with a
material (such available; the flip-up cover Portable scanners can b e s m a ll
enough to fit inside one's pocket.
as text and most common protecting the
pictures) into is the flatbed glass platen. Pen scanners are just a bit bigger
a form the scanner. than fountain pens and can scan
the text of a document line by line.
computer can They are often
use. built into multi- They do not give high-resolution
function printers scans and are more expensive than
flatbed scanners.
(MFPs).
Digital Camera
Allows one to take pictures
t h e n t r a n s f e r t h e
photographed images to the
computer or printer instead of
storing the images on a
traditional film.
PC video camera

Is a digital video camera that enables users to create a

movie or take still photographs electronically.

With the PC video camera attached to the computer, users

can see each other as they communicate via the computer.
Output Devices
An output device The three commonly used output
is any hardware devices are as follows:
component that
t r a n s m i t s • Printer
information to one • Speaker
or more people. • Monitor
Printer
Print e r - p r o d u c e s t e x t a n d g r a p h i c s o n a
physical medium such as paper. The two types of
printer are the impact printer and the non-
impact printer.

An impact printer makes contact with the paper

by pressing an inked ribbon against the paper
using a hammer or pins. An example of an
impact printer is the dot-matrix printer.

A non-impact printer does not use a striking

device to produce characters on the paper,
and because it does not hammer against the
paper, the printer produces less noise.

Examples of non-impact printers are inkjet

printers and laser printers.
Printer
Examples of non-impact printers are inkjet
printers and laser printers.
Speaker

Allows one to hear music, voice,

and other sounds.

The signal used to produce the

sound that comes from a
computer speaker is created by
the computer's sound card.
 STORAGE DEVICES
A computer can There are many types of Another type of storage is Another storage device is
be utilized with only storage devices which the hard disk drive. the compact disc. It is a
processing, include the flash disk flat, round, and portable
memory, input, drive, a small portable Most personal computers metal disc.
and output devices. storage device often have at least one non-
referred to as pen drives, removable hard disk that One type of compact
To make it very thumb drives, or jump is regarded as a non- disc is a CD-ROM, which
valuable, however, drives. volatile memory which can be accessed using
a computer also permanently stores and most CD and DVD drives.
needs a place to It has a memory capacity retrieves data.
hold program files of 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, Another type of compact
and all related files 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 1TB, disc is a DVD-ROM, which
when they are not and now up to 2TB. has enough storage
in use. capacity to store a full-
length movie.
The goal of using a
storage is to keep
data permanently.
SYSTEM UNIT
The system unit is the enclosure
composed of the main elements of a
computer that are used to administer
data.

This can be referred to as a computer

case or tower.

The circuitry of the system unit

containing the primary components of
a computer with connectors into which
other circuit boards can be positioned is
recognized as motherboard.
Monitor
displays text, graphics, and videos on a screen.
Many monitors look similar to a television. The three types of
monitor available in the market are the following:

a. Cathode ray tube (CRT) - is a b. Liquid crystal display c. Light-emitting diode

vacuum tube containing an
electron gun at one end and a
(LCD) - is a flat-panel (LED) - is a flat-panel
fluorescent screen at another end. display that consists of a display that uses light-
From this electron gun, a process layer of color or emitting diodes for
called thermionic emission monochrome pixels backlighting. The display is
generates a strong beam of
electrons. These electrons travel arranged schematically of LCD only but the
through a narrow path within the between a couple of backlighting is done by
tube with high speed using various transparent electrodes LEDS.
electromagnetic devices and finally
strike the phosphor points present on
and two polarizing filters.
the fluorescent screen, thus creating LED monitors are said to
an image. Monitors employ the CRT Optical effect is achieved use m u c h le s s e r p o we r
technology used most commonly in by polarizing the light in than CRT and LCD. Thus,
the manufacturing of television
screens. A stream of intense high- varied amounts and they are also considered
energy electrons is used to form making it pass through the environment-friendly.
images on a fluorescent screen. liquid crystal layer.