Carpio, Karen Nicole C.

Assignment in Nursing Informatics-Lab

BSN 2A

Parts of Computer and its function

The Role of the Motherboard

The motherboard is lovingly named, because it is either the origin point of other parts of the
computer or where every other component connects to. In a way, it is a lot like what you would
refer to your home country as: the motherland. The motherboard is basically a circuit board of a
decent size, depending on the size of the computer we’re dealing with. It acts as a nexus of sorts
because it facilitates the communication of the other components in the computer. There are
ports on the motherboard that face the outside of the computer, allowing you to plug in different
components into your computer and also to charge it. Most motherboards also allow you to scale
up by including slots that allow for expansion. You could add in components like CPUs and
RAMs, Video cards, and so on. You can also expand the motherboard by adding more ports that
allow you to connect even more auxiliary devices to your computer. In other words, you have
control over just what your computer’s capabilities are.

The Power Supply

The power supply, as you might have already guessed is the powerhouse of the computer. It
ensures that every other component gets the juice that it needs to function properly. The power
supply looks like a black box of sorts, with a fan built into it. It is plugged into the motherboard,
where it supplies power to the other components of the computer. On the one hand, the power
supply is plugged into the motherboard. On the other, it is connected to some kind of power
source. If you’re using a laptop, then that power source is a removable or permanent battery. If
you’re using a desktop, then that power source is a power outlet. The fan on the power source
plays a very important role. It cools it down as it does its duty to prevent the computer’s internals
from overheating. It’s important to keep that fan clean so that the computer’s power supply
functions like it’s meant to.
The Central Processing Unit

You may have heard of the cliché that the central processing unit is the brain of the computer.
Well, the only reason it’s a cliché is that it’s true. The central processing unit, or CPU, is where
all the magic happens. It is to the computer what an engine is to a car. The CPU mainly does
arithmetic and logical tasks. It will make a bunch of calculations to ensure the functions of the
computer are carried out efficiently. The CPU doesn’t always function at a single speed. The
speed can vary depending on the priority and intensity of the task at hand. The CPU will generate
a lot of heat as it does its work and so that fan that comes built into the power supply comes in
real handy at this point. The more powerful a CPU is, the more capable it is of carrying out more
and more intense work. For the basic things that an everyday computer does, like word
processing, preparing spreadsheets, and browsing the internet, an average CPU will do.
However, when you need to edit high definition video, program complicated software, or play
CPU-intensive games, you will need a powerful CPU

The Random Access Memory

The Random Access Memory, or RAM, is a temporary form of memory. When you open an
application in our computer, the computer will place that application and all its data in the RAM.
When you close the application, then space in the RAM is freed. That is why your computer gets
so slow when you have too many applications open; your RAM is probably being used at
capacity. Since RAM is only temporary, it has a volatile nature. The minute you turn your
computer off, all of the memory that is stored in RAM is lost. That’s why you’re advised to keep
saving the work you do in applications as you go along to avoid losing all of it in case your
computer suddenly goes off. The more RAM you have, the greater the number of programs that
you can run simultaneously.

The Hard Drive or Solid State Drive

Remember that we said RAM is volatile due to its temporary nature, which means the computer
still needs a more permanent form of data storage. That’s why the hard drive or solid state drive
exists. Traditionally, the hard drive is a drum with several platters piled on it and spinning, and
physical arm then writes data onto these platters. These disks are very slow because of the
mechanics through which data is stored, although latest hard drives, solid state drives, are much
faster. Solid state drives have the same kind of memory as the one on your phone or flash drive,
also known as flash memory. They cost more but are also faster and more efficient than
traditional hard drives. The data stored in the hard drive does not disappear when you switch
your computer off. It will be there when you switch the computer back on. You are, however,
advised to keep it far away from magnets as they could damage it and cause you to lose your
information.

The Video Card

The video card is a dedicated component that hands the images output by your monitor display.
They come with their own RAM, dedicated to this singular purpose. If your work involves
highly visual work at very high definitions, then you should get yourself a video card to take the
load off your RAM. Sometimes, the computer may have integrated graphics, where some of the
RAM is borrowed for graphics processing. This happens frequently on laptops, because there is a
need to save space. Using integrated graphics is much less expensive using a graphics card, but is
not sufficient for intense graphics functions.

The Optical Drives

These have become a lot less common today, with many machines doing away with them
altogether. An optical drive is used to read CDs and DVDs, which can be used to listen to music
or watch movies. They can also be used to install software, play games, or write new information
into a disk.

Input/Output Devices

Depending on the type of computer you have, there are lots of devices you can connect to your
computer to input information and also output it. Some examples of input devices are the mouse,
the keyboard, and the webcam. Examples of output devices include monitors, speakers, and
monitors. There are also removable devices, such as SD cards and flash drives, which can be
used to transfer data to and from your computer.