System Overview:
All the components of a computer are linked together in such a way that
it provides users with the utmost pleasure it has to offer.
The CPU
(Central Processing Unit) is the heart of the computer because it
is responsible for controlling cards, chips and peripherals. Aside
from that, performing calculations/managing informaiton is its other
responsibility.When the power supply is turned on, electricity begins
to flow through all the chips and circuits. Once the ROM BIOS receives
the power, it gives commands right away that is controlled by the CPU.
The CPU connects to the Hard Drive and RAM through the chipset, a small
group of chips that bind together the various pieces at the centre of
the computer. It is through the address and I/O bus that the CPU connects
to those two components.
The RAM
is a temporary storage area and is used for running programs, whereas
the hard drive is permanent storage and is the place where files usually
are stored.
The motherboard
serves as a board that assists in connecting devices. It is an element
upon which various compenents are attached to, including the BIOS, CPU,
memory and chipset. It's other purpose is to provide a resting place
for the power supply, fan and case. The case serves a responsibility
to cover up the entire system unit so that no particles enter
the components and ruin it from functioning as it should. As well, it
serves
to prevent outside radiation from entering inside the CPU and other
components directly.
The fan
is linked to the other components because it is used in a cooling
process for three components, which are the power supply, CPU and video
card.
The video
card needs a fan to cool down because it is always competing for
memory which heats it up because it is continuously being used to maintain
connection by performing calculations that deal solely
with graphics. As a result, it has its own link to the RAM. It needs
its own
connection because graphics deal with a lot of colors and the theory
is that the greater number of colors there are, the more memory they
require.
The monitor
is linked with the graphics card because it is used to display
the graphics that it interprets so that humans are able to see what
the image/video actually appears to be.
The sound
card often at times is located on the motherboard, other times it
connects directly into the PCI. The sound card is attached to speakers,
CD ROMS, and, CD/DVD writers.
The speakers
are used to perceive the sound that the card interprets.
The CD/DVD
writers are linked to the system because firstly, since the DVD-RW has the
ability to play DVDs, it is connected to the video card. Since
the video card has its own connection to the RAM, so do these components.
Secondly, since there is sound coming from the DVDs, that means they
are also connected to the sound card.
Scanners
are peripherals that have connections to the video card as well,
since they are used to scan images so that they can appear on screen.
The floppy
disk drive is a magnetic media that requires electrical energy to
read and write. Therefore, the Floppy Disk Drive is connected to the
hard drive so that it is able to do its job.
The hard drive is where
the files are stored, and to copy or cut them onto a floppy disk, the
disk needs to have connections somehow to the hard disk. Once data is
already stored on the magnetic media, electric energy isn't required
to maintain it there.
The mouse and keyboard
are two important peripherals that make using the computer much easier.
The keyboard is connected to the microprocessor that observes the switches
and changes to the grid that occurs by the pressing of a few keys on
the keyboard. It determines which characters are to be sent to the computer.
Before they reach the CPU, they are kept in a buffer of memory. The
mouse also has a grid, and is used to send data to the computer.