Parts of a computer

Parts of a computer

You should understand some of the basic elements that make up a computer including:
‐ Central processing unit (CPU)
‐ Types of memory
‐ The hard disk
‐ Input and output devices

The CPU
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is normally an Intel (or equivalent) and it is one of the most important components within your computer. It determines how fast your computer will run and the CPU speed is measured by its MHz or GHz speed. Thus, a 2 GHz Pentium is much faster than say a 1 GHz Pentium CPU. It is the CPU which performs all the calculations within the computer, when running programs such as word processors, spreadsheets and databases. The CPU contains following elements:

Control Unit:
The control unit is responsible for controlling the sequencing and timing of the other elements making up the CPU.

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU):
The ALU performs the mathematical calculations using data stored within the CPU registers.

Registers:
The registers are memory storage areas within the CPU that hold the data that is worked on by the ALU.

BUS:
The computer bus transports data between the memory and registers.