PDCA1101(T) INRODUCTION TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND E-COMMERCE

SECTION A

Computer Hardware

Hardware, which is abbreviated as HW, refers to all physical

components of a computer system, including the devices connected
to it. You cannot create a computer or use software without using
hardware. The screen on which you are reading this information is
also a hardware.

What is a hardware upgrade?

A hardware upgrade refers to a new hardware, or a replacement for

the old one, or additional hardware developed to improve the
performance of the existing hardware. A common example of a
hardware upgrade is a RAM upgrade that increases the computer's
total memory, and video card upgrade, where the old video card is
removed and replaced with the new one.

Some of the commonly used hardware in your computer are

described below:

1) Motherboard:

The motherboard is generally a thin circuit board that holds

together almost all parts of a computer except input and output
devices. All crucial hardware like CPU, memory, hard drive, and
ports for input and output devices are located on the motherboard.
It is the biggest circuit board in a computer chassis.

It allocates power to all hardware located on it and enables them to

communicate with each other. It is meant to hold the computer's
microprocessor chip and let other components connect to it. Each
component that runs the computer or improves its performance is a
part of the motherboard or connected to it through a slot or port.

There can be different types of motherboards based on the type and

size of the computers. So, a specific motherboard can work only
with specific types of processors and memory.

Components of a Motherboard:

CPU Slot: It is provided to install the CPU. It is a link between a

microprocessor and a motherboard. It facilitates the use of CPU and
prevents the damage when it is installed or removed. Furthermore,
it is provided with a lock to prevent CPU movement and a heat sink
to dissipate the extra heat.

RAM Slot: It is a memory slot or socket provided in the

motherboard to insert or install the RAM (Random Access Memory).
There can be two or more memory slots in a computer.

Expansion Slot: It is also called the bus slot or expansion port. It is

a connection or port on the motherboard, which provides an
installation point to connect a hardware expansion card, for
example, you can purchase a video expansion card and install it into
the expansion slot and then can install a new video card in the
computer. Some of the common expansion slots in a computer are
AGP, AMR, CNR, PCI, etc.

Capacitor: It is made of two conductive plates, and a thin insulator

sandwiched between them. These parts are wrapped in a plastic
container.

Inductor (Coil): It is an electromagnetic coil made of a conducting

wire wrapped around an iron core. It acts as an inductor or
electromagnet to store magnetic energy.

Northbridge: It is an integrated circuit that allows communications

between the CPU interface, AGP, and memory. Furthermore, it also
allows the southbridge chip to communicate with the RAM, CPU, and
graphics controller.

USB Port: It allows you to connect hardware devices like mouse,

keyboard to your computer.

PCI Slot: It stands for Peripheral Component Interconnect slot. It

allows you to connect the PCI devices like modems, network
hardware, sound, and video cards.

AGP Slot: It stands for Accelerated Graphics Port. It provides the

slot to connect graphics cards.

Heat Sink: It absorbs and disperses the heat generated in the

computer processor.

Power Connector: It is designed to supply power to the

motherboard.

CMOS battery: It stands for complementary metal-oxide-

semiconductor. It is a memory that stores the BIOS settings such as
time, date, and hardware settings.

2) Monitor:
A monitor is the display unit of a computer on which the processed
data, such as text, images, etc., is displayed. It comprises a screen
circuity and the case which encloses this circuity. The monitor is
also known as a visual display unit (VDU).

Types of Monitors:

1. CRT Monitor: It has cathode ray tubes which produce images

in the form of video signals. Its main components are electron
gun assembly, deflection plate assembly, glass envelope,
fluorescent screen, and base.
2. LCD Monitor: It is a flat panel screen. It uses liquid crystal
display technology to produce images on the screen.
Advanced LEDs have thin-film transistors with capacitors and
use active-matrix technology, which allows pixels to retain
their charge.
3. LED Monitor: It is an advanced version of an LCD monitor.
Unlike an LCD monitor, which uses cold cathode fluorescent
light to backlight the display, it has LED panels, each of which
has lots of LEDs to display the backlight.
4. Plasma Monitor: It uses plasma display technology that
allows it to produce high resolutions of up to 1920 X 1080,
wide viewing angle, a high refresh rate, outstanding contrast
ration, and more.

3) Keyboard:

It is the most important input device of a computer. It is designed to

allow you input text, characters, and other commands into a
computer, desktop, tablet, etc. It comes with different sets of keys
to enter numbers, characters, and perform various other functions
like copy, paste, delete, enter, etc.

Types of Keyboards:

1. QWERTY Keyboards
2. AZERTY Keyboards
3. DVORAK Keyboards

4) Mouse:

It is a small handheld device designed to control or move the

pointer (computer screen's cursor) in a GUI (graphical user
interface). It allows you to point to or select objects on a computer's
display screen. It is generally placed on a flat surface as we need to
move it smoothly to control the pointer. Types of Mouse: Trackball
mouse, Mechanical Mouse, Optical Mouse, Wireless Mouse, etc.

Main functions of a mouse:

o Move the cursor: It is the main function of the mouse; to

move the cursor on the screen.
o Open or execute a program: It allows you to open a folder
or document and execute a program. You are required to take
the cursor on the folder and double click it to open it.
o Select: It allows you to select text, file, or any other object.
o Hovering: Hovering is an act of moving the mouse cursor
over a clickable object. During hovering over an object, it
displays information about the object without pressing any
button of the mouse.
o Scroll: It allows you to scroll up or down while viewing a long
webpage or document.

Parts of a mouse:

o Two buttons: A mouse is provided with two buttons for right

click and left click.
o Scroll Wheel: A wheel located between the right and left
buttons, which is used to scroll up and down and Zoom in and
Zoom out in some applications like AutoCAD.
o Battery: A battery is required in a wireless mouse.
o Motion Detection Assembly: A mouse can have a trackball
or an optical sensor to provide signals to the computer about
the motion and location of the mouse.