Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VII, Central Visayas
Division of Bohol

GRADE 9/11 – TVE/TLE (Computer System Servicing)

Type of Activity: Concept Notes/Exercises

Activity Title: Computer Hardware

Learning Target: To select appropriate hardware and software according to task assigned
and required outcome.
References:

CONCEPT NOTES

Select appropriate hardware and software according to task assigned and required outcome

Computer hardware is the collection of physical parts of a computer system. This includes the computer case,
monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It also includes all the parts inside the computer case, such as the hard disk
drive, motherboard, video card, and many others. Computer hardware is what you can physically touch.

Definitions
A computer system consists of two major elements: hardware and software.
Computer hardware is the collection of all the parts you can physically touch.
Computer hardware is the collection of physical components that constitute a computer system.
Computer hardware is the physical parts or components of a computer, such as monitor, keyboard, computer data
storage, graphic card, sound card, motherboard, and so on, all of which are tangible Hardware is directed by
the software to execute any command or instruction. A combination of hardware and software forms a
usable computing system.
Hardware components:
Case
The computer case is a plastic or metal enclosure that houses most of the components. Those found on desktop
computers are usually small enough to fit under a desk; however, in recent years more compact designs have
become more commonplace, such as the all-in-one style designs from Apple, namely the iMac. A case can be either
big or small, but the form factor of motherboard for which it is designed matters more. Laptops are computers that
usually come in a clamshell form factor; however, in more recent years, deviations from this form factor, such as
laptops that have a detachable screen that become tablet computers in their own right, have started to emerge.
Power supply
A power supply unit (PSU) converts alternating current (AC) electric power to low-voltage DC power for the internal
components of the computer. Laptops are capable of running from a built-in battery, normally for a period of hours. [6]
Motherboard
The motherboard is the main component of a computer. It is a board with integrated circuitry that connects the other
parts of the computer including the CPU, the RAM, the disk drives (CD, DVD, hard disk, or any others) as well as
any peripherals connected via the ports or the expansion slots.
Components directly attached to or to part of the motherboard include:

 The CPU (Central Processing Unit), which performs most of the calculations which enable a computer to
function, and is sometimes referred to as the brain of the computer. It is usually cooled by a heatsink and fan, or
water-cooling system. Most newer CPUs include an on-die Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). The clock speed of
CPUs governs how fast it executes instructions, and is measured in GHz; typical values lie between 1 GHz and
5 GHz. Many modern computers have the option to overclock the CPU which enhances performance at the
expense of greater thermal output and thus a need for improved cooling.
 The chipset, which includes the north bridge, mediates communication between the CPU and the other
components of the system, including main memory.
 Random-Access Memory (RAM), which stores the code and data that are being actively accessed by the
CPU. For example, when a web browser is opened on the computer it takes up memory; this is stored in the
RAM until the web browser is closed. RAM usually comes on DIMMs in the sizes 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB, but can
be much larger.
 Read-Only Memory (ROM), which stores the BIOS that runs when the computer is powered on or otherwise
begins execution, a process known as Bootstrapping, or "booting" or "booting up". The BIOS (Basic Input
Output System) includes boot firmware and power management firmware. Newer motherboards use Unified
Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) instead of BIOS.
 Buses that connect the CPU to various internal components and to expand cards for graphics and sound.
 The CMOS battery, which powers the memory for date and time in the BIOS chip. This battery is generally a
watch battery.
 The video card (also known as the graphics card), which processes computer graphics. More powerful
graphics cards are better suited to handle strenuous tasks, such as playing intensive video games.
Expansion cards
An expansion card in computing is a printed circuit board that can be inserted into an expansion slot of a computer
motherboard or backplane to add functionality to a computer system via the expansion bus. Expansions cards can
be used to obtain or expand on features not offered by the motherboard.
Storage devices
A storage device is any computing hardware and digital media that is used for storing, porting and extracting data
files and objects. It can hold and store information both temporarily and permanently, and can be internal or external
to a computer, server or any similar computing device. Data storage is a core function and fundamental component
of computers.
Fixed media
Data is stored by a computer using a variety of media. Hard disk drives are found in virtually all older computers,
due to their high capacity and low cost, but solid-state drives are faster and more power efficient, although currently
more expensive than hard drives in terms of dollar per gigabyte, [7] so are often found in personal computers built
post-2007.[8]Some systems may use a disk array controller for greater performance or reliability.
Removable media
To transfer data between computers, a USB flash drive or optical disc may be used. Their usefulness depends on
being readable by other systems; the majority of machines have an optical disk drive, and virtually all have at least
one USB port.
Input and output peripherals
Input and output devices are typically housed externally to the main computer chassis. The following are either
standard or very common to many computer systems.
Input
Input devices allow the user to enter information into the system, or control its operation. Most personal computers
have a mouse and keyboard, but laptop systems typically use a touchpad instead of a mouse. Other input devices
include webcams, microphones, joysticks, and image scanners.
Output device
Output devices display information in a human readable form. Such devices could
include printers, speakers, monitors or a Braille embosser.
Computer software, on the other hand, is not something you can touch. Software is a set of instructions for a
computer to perform specific operations. You need both hardware and software for a computer system to work.

EXERCISES 12
DIRECTIONS: Determine the following hardware components. INPUT, OUTPUT, I/O, STORAGE

1. Flash drive
2. Webcams
3. Monitor
4. SSD
5. Mouse
6. Speaker
7. Microphones
8. Optical disks
9. HDD
10. Printer