What is definition of computer?

A computer is a device that accepts information (in the form of digitalized data) and manipulates
it for some result based on a program, software, or sequence of instructions on how the data is to
be processed.
(1) A class of machine that acts on data as opposed to physical things.
(2) Machines that process meaning represented as symbols.
(3) General purpose devices for performing calculations and operations on data.

Significance of Computer in our life:

1. Education: In the area of education, computers are widely employed. They let consumers
access a variety of instructional materials like photos, videos, and e-books in one location. The
Internet provides access to all of this information.
Furthermore, computers are ideal for online lectures, tutoring, exams, and the creation of tasks
and projects. Aside from that, they may be used to track and preserve the performance of
students and other data.
2. Business: Computers may now be found in practically every company. Computers are nearly
an inextricable element of any business setup since they boost productivity and aid in the fight
for first place in a competitive atmosphere. Computers are generally used in companies to
manage and maintain accounts and personal data, administer projects, check inventory status,
and create presentations. Furthermore, computers are better suited for transaction processing
than people since they are more precise and quicker. Computers also assist people in analyzing
their investments, expenses, profits, and sales, among other things.
3. Science: One group of people that utilize computers as their major work tool is scientists.
Computers are most adapted for gathering, analyzing, classifying, and storing information in
science, education, and engineering. They likewise make it easier for scientists to share data
both inside and globally.
With cloud assistance, computers allow scientists from multiple places to collaborate on the
same research. Computers also play an essential part in the release, maintenance, and control
of spacecraft, as well as the operation of several other technologies.
4. Government: Computers are useful in government institutions. They are becoming
accustomed to fulfilling multiple duties in many departments while also boosting the
reliability, efficiency, and productivity of their services. City-planning, traffic regulation,
enforcement agencies, infrastructure investment, and tourism are some of such services. The
key goals of employing computers are to execute data processing activities, preserve citizen
databases, and promote a paperless environment in most circumstances. Aside from that,
computers are an important aspect of the country’s military system. They assist with weapon
development, missile launchers, and satellite launches, among other things.
5. Health and Medical: Computers are revolutionizing the way doctors diagnose patients in
hospitals. They’re utilized to keep track of patients’ information, records, real-time patient
monitoring, X-rays, and more. With the assistance of computers, everything is getting
 digitized. Computers assist in the configuration of lab instruments, the monitoring of heart rate
and blood pressure, and other tasks.
Doctors get additional benefits in treating patients with appropriate pharmaceuticals.
Furthermore, computers allow doctors to readily share patient data with other medical
professionals. Furthermore, sophisticated surgical technologies are robotics-based, allowing
doctors to perform intricate procedures and surgeries from afar.
6. Industry: In the workplace, computers are used to conduct a variety of jobs, including
inventory management, home decor, virtual product design, teleconferencing, and much more.
People in remote regions may now acquire things more easily thanks to online marketing. Due
to its ease of involvement, internet stock exchange trading has also undergone a substantial
transformation. Computers have made stock marketing accessible to people at all levels and in
a variety of locales.
7. Banking: Banking has evolved tremendously in recent years. Customers may access their data
immediately using computers and the Internet in most nations’ online banking systems. People
may access their account balances, make money transfers, and pay bills, even credit cards,
digitally. Furthermore, banks employ computers to process transactions and store client
information, transaction records, and other information. Using computers, banks have
significantly decreased the number of human mistakes, staff, and expenditures. ATMs are the
finest example of computers that assist customers in withdrawing and depositing money.
8. Entertainment: Computers are becoming one of the most popular forms of entertainment.
Computers may be used to watch films, games, and listen to music, among other activities.
Computers may be used in conjunction with MIDI devices to record sounds using fake
instruments. People may also use their webcam to record movies and add a variety of
interesting AI effects. Several photo editing tools with fantastic and strong capabilities are also
accessible.
9. Training: The majority of businesses utilize computers to teach their personnel. Companies
may save time, money, and boost productivity by using computer-based training. Employees
can also be trained over long distances and in several places using computer-based training.
This reduces arrival time and expenditures, making the training experience far more pleasant
and efficient.
10. Art: Art, photography, dance, and culture have all incorporated computers. Advanced
computers allow users to draw their works directly on the screen. People can also scan their
images using computers. People may edit and enhance their images using a variety of photo
editing applications. Aside from that, with the assistance of animations, the dance’s moves and
steps may be exhibited live.
11. Robotics: Robotics is a developing field of technology that employs computer systems for
science, technology, and machine design. These machines can be virtual or physical and can
minimize or eliminate human labor. Furthermore, some robots are capable of doing difficult
or time-consuming activities that people are incapable of performing.
12. Communication: Computers have evolved into one of the most important means of
communication. To make communication simpler, many computers include a built-in camera
and microphone. People may communicate with others over the Internet using apps such as
Skype and Hangout. People may connect with audio and video thanks to the videoconferencing
 capability. Computers enable families to communicate with distant relatives, businesses to
schedule meetings, and businesses to conduct interviews between two places that are too far
apart. Apart from that, traditional communication techniques such as email are still commonly
utilized.
13. Weather Forecasting: Humans have never been good at predicting weather since it is
dependent on so many variables that are always evolving. Humans are practically unable to
anticipate the weather without the aid of a computer. The process of weather forecasting entails
complicated computation and monitoring of data from satellites and a variety of other technical
instruments. Because it can interpret data from various sources and do sophisticated
calculations connected to it, the computer has made it a bit simpler to anticipate weather
patterns.
14. Sports: Computers are used in nearly every single sport in today’s technologically advanced
world. Countless sports activities are made possible by the use of computers. Computers are
primarily used in sports to keep track of scoreboards, records, and other metrics. They’re also
utilized to evaluate player motions and make game-related judgments. Computers assist in
making sophisticated in-game judgments that are invisible to human sight.
15. Information storage and retrieval: Information storage and retrieval is a crucial use of
computers. With their vast storage capacities and efficient indexing systems, computers enable
us to store and organize enormous amounts of data in various formats, such as text, images,
and videos. This allows easy and quick access to information when needed. Whether it’s
personal files, business documents, or research data, computers provide a reliable and efficient
means to store and retrieve information.
16. Research: Research is a vital application of computers. They provide researchers with
powerful tools for data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Computers allow access to vast
online databases, academic journals, and research repositories, facilitating the retrieval of
relevant information. Researchers can perform complex simulations and experiments, process
large datasets, and apply statistical analysis to derive meaningful insights.
17. Engineering and military: Both the engineering and military fields are broad areas of
computer use. The computer helps accomplish many operations, including: The computer
provides special programs for advanced engineering drawing, such as the design of buildings,
structures, ships, planes, city planning, and design through 2D and 3D graphics. The computer
is used in the field of military industries and to control them through computerized control
systems that control missile launches, military communications, military planning operations,
and smart weapons.
18. Security systems: The computer is used in various electronic protection systems, such as
surveillance cameras, which are widely used in private and government facilities in order to
monitor the movement of goods and people in these areas. Some types of computers,
particularly those built with facial recognition and fingerprint, have also contributed to
reducing the possibility of identity fraud.
Types of Computers:
• Supercomputers
• Mainframe computers
 • Minicomputers
• Personal computers (PCs) or microcomputers
Supercomputers:

Supercomputer is a powerful computer that can process large amounts of data and do a great
amount of computation very quickly.
Supercomputers are used for areas related to:
• Science
• Engineering
• Education
• Defense
• Aerospace
Supercomputers are useful for applications involving very large databases or that require a great
amount of computation.
Supercomputers are used for complex tasks, such as:
• Weather forecasting
• Climate research
• Scientific simulation
• Oil and gas exploration
• Quantum mechanics
• Cryptanalysis

Mainframe computers:
Mainframe computer is a high-performance computer used for large information processing
jobs.
Mainframe computers are primarily used in:
• Institutions
• Research
• Academics
• Health care
• Libraries
• Large businesses
• Financial institutions
• Stock brokerage firms
• Insurance agencies
Mainframe computers are useful for tasks related to:
• Census taking
• Industry and consumer statistics
• Enterprise resource planning
• Transaction processing
• e-business and e-commerce
Minicomputers:

Minicomputer is a mid-range computer that is intermediate in size, power, speed, storage capacity,
etc., between a mainframe and a microcomputer.
Minicomputers are used by small organizations.
“Minicomputer” is a term that is no longer used much. In recent years, minicomputers are often
referred to as small or midsize servers (a server is a central computer that provides information to
other computers).
Personal computers:
Personal computer (PC) is a small computer designed for use by a single user at a time.
A PC or microcomputer uses a single chip (microprocessor) for its central processing unit (CPU).
“Microcomputer” is now primarily used to mean a PC, but it can refer to any kind of small
computer, such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet, smartphone, or wearable.

Types of personal computers:

Desktop computer – a personal computer that is designed to stay at one location and fits on or
under a desk. It typically has a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and a tower (system unit).

Laptop computer (or notebook) – A portable personal computer that is small enough to rest on
the user’s lap and can be powered by a battery. It includes a flip down screen and a keyboard with
a touchpad.

Tablet – A wireless touchscreen PC that is slightly smaller and weighs less than the average
laptop.

Smartphone – A mobile phone that performs many of the functions of a personal computer.
Different Data representation types in a computer:
1. Texts
File extensions: .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, etc.
2. Numbers
3. Images
File extensions: .jpg, jpeg, .png, etc.
4. Videos
File extensions: .mp4, .MOV, .AVI, etc.
5. Audios
File extensions: .mp3, .m4a, .WAV, .AAC, etc.

Moore’s Law Definition

Moore’s Law principle states that since the number of transistors on a silicon chip roughly doubles
every two years, the performance and capabilities of computers will continue to increase while the
price of computers decreases. It is a prediction made by American engineer Gordon Moore in
1965.
• Moore’s law was an observation made by Gordon Moore in 1965. Moore’s empirical
observations serve as its foundation. From observed statistics, he extrapolated the
number of transistors on a microchip, doubling annually.
• The majority of this growth in chip density is due to four primary factors: die size, line
dimension, technical brilliance, and technological innovation.
• Over the years, the law has seen a decline. The weakening results from the growing
complexity involved in creating cutting-edge technologies.
Importance of Computer in chemical industries:
Computer-Aided Chemical Engineering is being done since 1950s to the present state in which
virtually all chemical engineering is computer-aided. Computer-aids are used at every stage from
deciding what chemical species to make, through the conceptual design of the processes, the
detailed design, the on-line control, optimization and up to the decommissioning. Computer-aids
are important for assessing and minimizing environmental impacts and hazards
There are several areas where Computerized systems are being used in Chemical Industries.
Some of them are:
• DCS (distributed control system)
• Fertilizer
• Water Treatment
• Chemical Plant
Some others areas are:
• Chemical plants
• Petrochemical (oil) and refineries
• Pulp and paper mills (see also: quality control system QCS)
• Boiler controls and power plant systems
• Nuclear power plants
• Environmental control systems
• Water management systems
• Water treatment plants
• Sewage treatment plants
• Food and food processing
• Agrochemical and fertilizer
• Metal and mines
• Automobile manufacturing
• Metallurgical process plants
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Sugar refining plants
• Agriculture applications
DCS (distributed control system):
• Distributed control systems (DCSs) are computer-software packages communicating with
control hardware and providing a centralized human–machine interface (HMI) for
controlled equipment.
• It is a central computer that autonomously coordinates the many subsystems (such as
sensors and controllers) located around a plant in real-time.
 • DCS are particularly important for controlling complex processes or for large continuous
manufacturing plants where top-down control and coordination is vital for efficiency.
Chromatography:
• Chromatography is a process for separating components of a mixture
• Now a days computer aided systems are being used for chromatography.
Chromatography is used to separate a mixture of sample causing them to separate.
Using a computer to analyze the time taken for a compound to be detected, one can
know what is the compound. This can be used for detecting unknown mixture found in
crime scene, mapping DNA (you can google “DNA chromatography), and so on.
Uses of Chromatography
• Pharmaceutical industry: In this field, (Includes Cosmetics and Herbal products too)
it is mainly used to assertion purity of drugs. Identify impurities and develop
chromatographic methods to quantify impurities.
• Food and beverage industry: In this industry, it is used to majorly identify
contaminants like pesticides content in beverages or heavy metal contents in water of
food stuffs.
• Forensic Labs: Here, chromatography is used to determine which fluids and
compounds are present in human body after death or analyze blood samples to know
whether he was poisoned to death etc.
• Diagnostic Labs: In this Labs, we determine amount of drug present in blood, urine
samples etc. You would be aware of dope tests where players are tested for banned
steroids.