You may have asked or wondered at some point in your life, how do computers work? Though they are a bit complicated, they may not be as mystifying as one may believe. Basically, four main components are essential for a computer to properly run: the CPU, the RAM, the Hard Drive, and the Monitor.
CPUs
CPUs, or central processing units/main processing units are electronic circuitry within computers that carry out as well as perform instructions from computer programs by performing the basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and input/output operations specified by the instructions of the program. It will retrieve the instruction from the systems RAM, or random-access memory and then decode what the instruction is asking for before being executed by the basic arithmetic unit.
RAMs
RAMs, or random-access memories are the form of a computer memory and system’s short-term data storage that can be changed and read in any possible order, allowing data to be read or written in a very short amount of time and is typically used to store both machine code and working data. It stores information that is actively being used by the computer so that it can be accessed quickly. RAMs allow your computer to load applications, browse the internet, edit things, or play games. The memory can allow you to switch among doing these tasks with ease by remembering where you are in one program when you switch to another. The more programs that the system is running, the more memory and storage is required to function because memory is almost always actively running on your computer.
Hard Drives
Hard drives, or hard disk drives are electro-mechanical data storage devices that use magnetic storage to store and retrieve digital information to operate the computer using rapidly rotating disks coated with magnetic materials. Hard drives are non-volatile memory hardware that store and retrieve permanent data on a computer. They are typically considered secondary storage and consist of several platters inside of an air-sealed casing where data is written using a magnetic head.
Monitors
Monitors are electronic output visual displays units, or VDUs that display information in pictorial form for computers that includes the screen, the circuitry, and the case that encloses and protects the circuitry. Monitors display the video and graphic information through the video card, which is an expansion card that allows graphical information to be sent to a video display device for the computer such as a monitor, TV, or projector. Though monitors and TVs are similar, monitors tend to display information at a much higher resolution and aren’t usually mounted to walls but rather sit on to of a desk.
All sources are linked to the subheading of each component.
Emily Ramirez 