computer works

An Inside Look at a Computer

Let's See How It Works !

-> This is a Motherboard of a 386 PC. The thing in the middle that says "intel" is the CPU. CPU stands for "Central Processor Unit". It is really the brains of the computer. This is where all the adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying takes place. Examples of CPUs are Intel's Pentium and now Pentium II. On the Mac side you have the new G3 chip or Motorola 604E. Each chip operates at a certain clock speed measured in megahertz or Mhz. This is how fast the chip can perform a single operation.

Motherboard

-> This is RAM, or Random Access Memory. This is like the short term memory of your brain. Here is where you store things temporarily while the computer works on them. RAM is Volatile. This means infomation in it can be erased. When you turn your computer off all information in it is lost.
This is why you have to save your work to the hard drive or floppy disk. RAM is fast memory because it is electronic memory.

RAM

<- This is a Hard Drive. This is like your brain's long term memory. Here is where all your data and programs are stored. Everything from your Operating System to your Word Processor, your writing, your drawings etc. A Hard Drive also like a CD player, but the disks are metal not plastic. But unlike your CD player a hard drive can both read and write information. CD Player just reads information. A Hard Drive is not as fast as RAM. It is also non-volatile so when you turn off your computer information on it is not lost.

Floppy or diskette drive Picture of a floppy or diskette

<- This is your Floppy Drive or Diskette Drive. Here you can store information long term. Directly below the drive is a floppy disk or Diskette. It works very much like a hard drive but a floppy is removable. A High Density Disk can hold 1.44 MB (Mega Bytes) of information. With a floppy you can move information from computer to computer without a network. This method of exchanging information is often called "sneaker net".

-> This is a Motherboard of a 386 PC. The thing in the middle that says "intel" is the CPU. CPU stands for "Central Processor Unit". It is really the brains of the computer. This is where all the adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying takes place. Examples of CPUs are Intel's Pentium and now Pentium II. On the Mac side you have the new G3 chip or Motorola 604E. Each chip operates at a certain clock speed measured in megahertz or Mhz. This is how fast the chip can perform a single operation.
-> This is RAM, or Random Access Memory. This is like the short term memory of your brain. Here is where you store things temporarily while the computer works on them. RAM is Volatile. This means infomation in it can be erased. When you turn your computer off all information in it is lost. This is why you have to save your work to the hard drive or floppy disk. RAM is fast memory because it is electronic memory.
	<- This is a Hard Drive. This is like your brain's long term memory. Here is where all your data and programs are stored. Everything from your Operating System to your Word Processor, your writing, your drawings etc. A Hard Drive also like a CD player, but the disks are metal not plastic. But unlike your CD player a hard drive can both read and write information. CD Player just reads information. A Hard Drive is not as fast as RAM. It is also non-volatile so when you turn off your computer information on it is not lost.
	<- This is your Floppy Drive or Diskette Drive. Here you can store information long term. Directly below the drive is a floppy disk or Diskette. It works very much like a hard drive but a floppy is removable. A High Density Disk can hold 1.44 MB (Mega Bytes) of information. With a floppy you can move information from computer to computer without a network. This method of exchanging information is often called "sneaker net".