The System Unit Flashcards
The overall structure that houses the processor, memory, and electronic components of the computer that are used to process data.
System Unit
The system unit is housed by what is known as _____?
System case or computer case.
Contains the framework to support and enclose internal components of the computer.
Computer Case
The size and layout of a case is called a ____?
Form factor
Computer cases are referred to in a number of ways, what are these?
Computer chassis, Cabinet, Tower, Box and Housing
Serve as the source for electricity to the computer. Attached are vital hardware cables and buses for transferring power to various components in the computer.
Power supplies
Is the standard motherboard power connector used in nearly every computer.
ATX 24 pin main power connector / Main power connector: 20+4 pin
Is one of several standard peripheral power connectors. Only connect to SATA drives like hard drives and optical drives and do not work with older PATA devices.
SATA 15 pin power supply connector
Is a standard peripheral power connector. It connects to many different kinds of internal peripherals including PATA hard rives and optical drives, some video cards, and even some other devices.
Molex 4 pin power supply connector
Is the standard floppy drive power connector, also called a Berg connector or Mini-molex connector, is included in even the newest power supplies even though floppy drives are becoming obsolete.
Floppy drive 4 pin power supply connector
Is a standard motherboard power connector used to provide +12VDC to the processor voltage regulator. This small connector usually attaches to the motherboard near the CPU.
ATX 4 pin power supply connector
Is also known as mainboard, system board, logic board, or MOBO.
Motherboard
It holds and allows communication between the crucial components of the computer such as the CPU and memory.
Motherboard
Small piece of semiconducting material, where more integrated circuits are embedded.
Chip
An electrical path that enables data flow between various system components.
Bus
Contains microscopic pathways that carry electric current. It contains millions of elements such as resistors, capacitators, and transistors.
Integrated Circuit / IC
This has two parallel rows of pints that attach the chip package to the circuit board.
Dual Inline Package (DIP)
Holds a larger number of pins because the pins are mounted on the surface of the package.
Pin Grid Array (PGA)
Higher performance PGA packaging that places the chip on the opposite sides of the pins.
Flip Chip-PGA (CF-PGA) PackageD
Does not use pins but connects to one of the edges in the motherboard.
Single Edge Contact (SEC) Cartridge
What does AT stands for?
Advanced Technology
ATX stands for?
Advanced Technology Extended
Mini-ATX stands for?
Smaller footprint of ATX
Micro-ATX stands for?
Smaller footprint of ATX
LPX stands for?
Low-Profile Extended
NLX stands for?
New Low-Profile Extended
BTX stands for?
Balanced Technology Extended
What is the function of the northbridge?
The function of the northbridge is primarily a fast path between the CPU and the video bus and system RAM.
What is the function of the southbridge?
The southbridge connects with the slow hardware/components of the system.
This is the brain of the computer.
CPU or processor
It interprets and carries out the basic instructions to operate a computer.
CPU or processor
Nowadays, processors have multiple cores called _____?
Multi-core processors
The processor is a single chips that has two or more separate processors.
Multi-core processors
What are the two kinds of common multi-core processors today?
Dual Core Processor & Quad Core Processor
What are the two most popular brands of processors in the market nowadays?
AMD & Intel
Consists of metal fins that draw heat away from a component.
Heat sink
The fan and heat sink together are called ___?
Processor cooler
Acts as temporary storage as long as the computer is running.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
What are the three basic types of RAM?
- Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
- Static RAM (SRAM)
- Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM)
This kind of RAM needs to be recharged by the CPU. If not, it loses its contents
Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
What are the many variations of DRAM?
- Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)
- Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM
- DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM
- Rambus DRAM (RDRAM)
It is faster than DRAM because it is synchronized to the system clock.
Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)
It is faster than SDRAM because they transfer data twice for each clock cycle.
Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM
It is faster than DDR SDRAM
DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM
It is a type of DRAM faster than SDRAM that uses pipelining techniques.
Rambus DRAM (RDRAM)
This kind is faster and more reliable than any form of DRAM. Unlike the DRAM, this does not need to be re-energized. However, it is much more expensive and it used for special purposes.
Static RAM (SRAM)
This kind stores data using magnetic charges instead of electrical charges. It has greater storage capacity, consume less power, and faster access time.
Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM)
The RAM chips are housed in a small circuit board called the ______ , which is inserted into the motherboard.
Memory module
What are the three types of memory module?
- Single Inline Memory Module (SIMM)
- Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM)
- Rambus Inline Memory Module (RIMM)
This is a type of memory modules that has pins on opposite sides of the circuit board which connect together to form a single set of contacts. This houses SDRAM chips along with DIMMS.
Single Inline Memory Module (SIMM)
This is a type of memory module that has pins on the opposite sides of the circuit board that do not connect and form two sets of contacts. This houses SDRAM chips along with SIMMs.
Dual Inline Memory Module
This is a type of memory module that houses RDRAM chips.
Rambus Inline Memory Module (RIMM)
Using programs and multimedia should have at least __ GB?
4 GB
Playing modern games or using editing software will require at least __ GB?
8 GB
To be able to use basic application software such as Office Suite, one needs at least __ GB of RAM?
1 GB
These are essential in avoiding the computer from overheating and maintaining a good, well-ventilated system.
Cooling technologies
Also called an adapter card, is a circuit board that provides more ports than those provided by the motherboard.
Expansion card
Also called a hard disk drive (HDD), is permanent storage used to hold data and programs.
Hard drive