Open the case
Imagine you open the side of a desktop computer. You see a big green board, a fan, some small boards (cards) and many cables.
Every part has a job. If one part fails, the computer may not start. By the end of this lesson you can name the parts and say what each one does.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Input device | A device that sends data into the computer. | Keyboard, microphone |
| Output device | A device that shows or plays results from the computer. | Monitor, speaker |
| Motherboard | The main board with the electric circuits. All the other parts plug into it. | The big green board |
| GPU | Graphics processing unit. A processor made to draw pictures and video fast. | Used in games |
| PCI | The standard for slots on the motherboard where you plug in a card. | A graphics card |
| USB | A common plug for connecting devices from outside the computer. | A memory stick |
| Sensor | A part that measures something in the real world and sends it to the computer. | A temperature sensor |
| Network | Computers joined together so they can share data. | College Wi-Fi |
| Cooling | Taking heat away from the parts so they do not break. | A fan |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Input and output devices
| Input devices | Output devices | Both |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard | Monitor | Touch screen |
| Mouse | Printer | Headset with a microphone |
| Microphone | Speaker | Game controller that vibrates |
| Webcam | Headphones | Smartphone screen |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Quick check: input or output?
Have a go
Quick check: input or output?
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
The GPU: a picture specialist
A GPU draws the screen. A game needs millions of tiny dots on the screen to change many times each second.
A GPU has many small cores. A core is a part that does work. All the cores work at the same time. That makes a GPU very good at pictures. It is also used for video editing and for some science and AI work.
Network interface devices
A network interface device connects a computer to a network. It has two common forms.
A PCI card plugs into a slot on the motherboard inside the case. A USB adapter plugs into a port on the outside. The USB one is easy to add to a laptop. Most laptops already have the network part built in.
Quick check: GPU and network cards
Have a go
Quick check: GPU and network cards
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.