Hardware: The physical components of a computer.
These can be parts inside the computer, input devices, storage devices and output devices.
Examples include:
Motherboard
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Heat sink
RAM
Hard Disk
Video Card
Wireless Card
Power Supply Unit
What is computer "hardware"?
What other examples of computer hardware can you think of? These can also be Input/Output devices.
The CPU is considered the “Brain” of the computer.
It is responsible for the Fetch-Decode-Execute (FDE) cycle:
It Fetches instructions in its memory. Decodes it (works out what the instruction means). Then Executes the instructions (does the instruction).
How fast it does each cycle is called "Clock Speed".
The CPU can only do one instruction at a time, but it does it so fast that we think it is doing many things at once!
E.g. Watching a video and surfing the internet
It can do billions of instructions in a second.
The CPU is considered the "Heart" of the computer
CPUs fetches instructions, works it out, and then does the instruction.
Using the internet (or the link provided https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/computerbasics/inside-a-computer/1/) , research a piece of hardware, and find out what it does!
Example: Hardware name: Motherboard
What does it do: The backbone of the computer - connects parts together.
Extension: Open the link and browse at the computer parts
What is the name of this hardware?
What is the name of this hardware?
What is the name of this hardware?
What is the name of this hardware?
What is the name of this hardware?
What is the name of this hardware?
What is the name of this hardware?
CPUs can only do one instruction at a time
Briefly summarise what the CPU does in two sentences.