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Chapter 4 Final

Chapter 4 covers the components of the system unit, including the motherboard, processor, and types of memory. It explains the functions of these components, the importance of ports and connectors, and how to maintain a clean system unit. Additionally, it provides guidance on purchasing or upgrading a computer based on user needs.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
16 views8 pages

Chapter 4 Final

Chapter 4 covers the components of the system unit, including the motherboard, processor, and types of memory. It explains the functions of these components, the importance of ports and connectors, and how to maintain a clean system unit. Additionally, it provides guidance on purchasing or upgrading a computer based on user needs.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 4

The Components of the System Unit

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this chapter, the students


should be able to:

1. Differentiate among various styles of system


units

2. Explain the function of the motherboard and


processor

3. Differentiate among the various types of


memory

4. Identify the different computer ports and


connector

5. Understand how to clean a system unit.

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THE SYSTEM UNIT

Whether you are a home user or a business user, you most likely will make the
decision to purchase a new computer or upgrade an existing computer within the
next several years. Thus, you should understand the purpose of each component
in a computer.

The system unit is a case


that contains electronic
components of the computer
used to process data.
System units are available in
a variety of shapes and
sizes. The case of the
system unit, sometimes
called the chassis, is made
of metal or plastic and
protects the internal
electronic components from
damage. All computers have
a system unit.

THE MOTHERBOARD AND PROCESSOR

The motherboard, sometimes called a system


board, is the main circuit board of the system unit.
Many electronic components attach to the
motherboard; others are built into it.

Processor
The processor, also called the central processing unit
(CPU), interprets and carries out the basic instructions
that operate a computer. The processor significantly
impacts overall computing power and manages most of a
computer's operations. Processors contain a control unit
and an
Web arithmetic logic unit (ALU). These two
Addresses
components work together to perform processing
operations. The control unit is the component of the
processor that directs and coordinates most of the
operations in the computer.

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The Control Unit
The control unit has a role much like a traffic cop: it interprets each instruction
issued by a program and then initiates the appropriate action to carry out the
instruction.

The Arithmetic Logic Unit


The arithmetic logic unit (ALU), another component of the processor, performs
arithmetic, comparison, and other operations.
Arithmetic operations include basic calculations such as addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division. Comparison operations involve comparing one data
item with another to determine whether the first item is greater than, equal to, or
less than the other item. Depending on the result of the comparison, different
actions may occur.

THE MEMORY

MEMORY
Memory consists of electronic components
that store instructions waiting to be executed
by the processor, data needed by those
instructions, and the results of processed
data (information). Memory usually consists
of one or more chips on the motherboard or
some other circuit board in the computer.

Memory stores three basic categories of items:


 the operating system and other system software that control or maintain
the computer and its devices;
 application programs that carry out a specific task such as word
processing;
 the data being processed by the application programs and resulting
information. This role of memory to store both data and programs is known
as the stored program concept.

Memory Sizes
Manufacturers state the size of memory chips and storage devices in terms of the
number of bytes the chip or device has available for storage. Recall that storage

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devices hold data, instructions, and information for future use, while most memory
holds these items temporarily. A kilobyte (KB or K) is equal to exactly 1,024 bytes.
To simplify memory and storage definitions, computer users often round a kilobyte
down to 1,000 bytes. For example, if a memory chip can store 100 KB, it can hold
approximately 100,000 bytes (characters). A megabyte (MB) is equal to
approximately 1 million bytes. A gigabyte (GB) equals approximately 1 billion
bytes. A terabyte (TB) is equal to approximately 1 trillion bytes.

Types of Memory
The system unit contains two types of memory: volatile and nonvolatile. When
the computer's power is turned off, volatile memory loses its contents.
Volatile memory is temporary. Nonvolatile memory, by contrast, does not lose its
contents when power is removed from the computer. Nonvolatile memory is
permanent.

RAM
RAM (random access memory), also
called main memory It is the most
common type of volatile memory. consists
of memory chips that can be read from
and written to by the processor and other
devices.

When you turn on power to a computer, certain operating system files load into
RAM from a storage device such as a hard disk. These files remain in RAM as
long as the computer has continuous power. As additional programs and data are
requested, they also load into RAM from storage.

ROM
The read only memory. ROM is nonvolatile,
which means its contents are not lost when
power is removed from the computer.
Manufacturers of ROM chips often record
data, instructions, or information on the chips
when they manufacture the chips. These ROM
chips, called firmware, contain permanently
written data, instructions, or information.

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Flash Memory

Flash memory is a type of non-volatile memory that can be erased electronically


and rewritten. Most computers use flash memory to hold their start up instructions
because it allows the computer easily to update its contents. For example, when
the computer changes from standard time to day light savings time, the contents
of a flash memory chip (and the real-time clock chip) change to reflect the new
time.
Flash memory chips also store data and programs on many mobile computers
and devices, such as smart phones, printers, digital cameras, automotive devices,
audio players, digital voice recorders, and pagers.

PORTS AND CONNECTORS

A port is the point at which a peripheral A attaches to or communicates with a


system unit so the peripheral can send data to or receive information from the
computer. An external device, such as a keyboard, monitor, printer, mouse, and
microphone, often attaches by a cable to a port on the system unit. Instead of
port, the term jack sometimes is used to identify audio and video ports.
A connector is the unique end of a plug, jack, or the edge of a card that
connects into a port. The port has either holes or a slot that matches the plug or
card being connected into the port. For example: cables are plugged into
Ethernet ports, and cables and flash drives are plugged into USB ports.

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Connectors

KEEPING YOUR COMPUTER CLEAN

Over time, the system unit collects dust even in a clean environment. Built up
dust can block airflow in the computer, which can cause it to overheat, corrode, or
even stop working. By cleaning your computer once or twice a year, you can help
extend its life.
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Before cleaning the computer, turn it off, unplug it from the electrical outlet, and
unplug all cables from the ports. Blow away any dust from all openings on the
computer case, such as drives, slots and ports. Vacuum the power supply fan on
the back of the computer case to remove any dust that has accumulated on it.
If you do not feel comfortable cleaning the system unit yourself, have a local
computer company clean it for you.

Buying a Personal Computer


If you are ready to buy a new computer, the processor you select should depend
on how you plan to use the computer.
Instead of buying an entirely new computer, you might be able to upgrade your
processor to increase the computer's performance. Be certain the processor you
buy is compatible with your computer's motherboard; otherwise, you will have to
replace the motherboard, too. Replacing a processor is a fairly simple process,
whereas replacing a motherboard is much more complicated.

CHAPTER 4

DATE: ____________ YEAR AND SECTION:


___________
NAME: ________________________________________
_________
Lastname Firstname MI
Gender

TASK ACTIVITY
Read and answer the question below.
1. Ever since a computer defeated world chess champion Gary Kasparov in a
chess match, people have wondered, can computers think? As computer
processors and software become more powerful, the question is more hotly
debated. People who believe computers can think argue that, if a person
had a conversation with a computer and was convinced the computer was
really human, then the computer is intelligent. Opponents counter this

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argument by saying that, if a question written in a foreign language was
submitted to a person who can read and write the language and a person
who cannot read or write the language but has a list of questions and
appropriate answers, it might be impossible to tell the response of one
person from the other. But, the person who cannot read or write the
language really does not understand it, any more than a computer really
can think. Besides, computers lack an essential component of human
thinking - common sense. Computers can consider millions of chess moves
a second, but humans have the common sense to recognize that some
moves are not worthy of consideration.

a. Can computers think? Why or why not?


b. If computers cannot think now, might they be able to think in the
future? Why?

2. Your family has decided to purchase a computer for use at home.


Because you are enrolled in a computer course, you have been asked to
make recommendations. Your instructor has pushed the premise “software
and hardware.” List the application programs you and your family
members plan to use. What do you think the system requirements and
software applications that you need. Write a brief report on what are the
things that you need to consider in purchasing a computer.

CHAPTER REVIEW

1. How do programs transfer in and out of the


memory?

2. How are various styles of system units different?

3. What are the various types of memory?

4. What is the function of the processor?

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