Discovering Computers

Technology in a World of Computers,

Mobile Devices, and the Internet

Chapter 6
Inside Computers
and Mobile Devices
Objectives Overview

Identify characteristics of
Describe the various Describe multi-core
various personal computer
computer and mobile processors the components
processors on the market
device cases and the of a processor, and the four
today, and describe the
contents they protect steps in a machine cycle
ways processors are cooled

Explain how program and

Define a bit, and describe
Explain the advantages and application instructions
how a series of bits
services of cloud computing transfer in and out of
represents data
memory

See Page 248 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 2

for Detailed Objectives
Objectives Overview

Describe the purpose

Differentiate among
of adapter cards, USB Explain the function
the various types of
adapters, and of a bus
memory
ExpressCard modules

Explain the purpose Understand how to

of a power supply care for computers
and batteries and mobile devices

See Page 248 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 3

for Detailed Objectives
Inside the Case

• The case contains and protects the electronics of the

computer or mobile device from damage

Page 248 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 4

Figure 6-1
Inside the Case

Page 250 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 5

Figure 6-2
Inside the Case

• The motherboard is the main circuit board of the

computer
– A computer chip contains integrated circuits

Pages 250 - 251 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 6

Figure 6-3
Processors

• The processor, also called the central processing

unit (CPU), interprets and carries out the basic
instructions that operate a computer
– Contain a control unit and an arithmetic logic unit
(ALU)
• A multi-core processor is a single chip with two or
more separate processor cores

Pages 252 - 253 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 7

Processors

Page 253 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 8

Figure 6-4
Processors
• The control unit is the component of the processor that
directs and coordinates most of the operations in the
computer
• The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs arithmetic,
comparison, and other operations:
Sebagai contoh, untuk menentukan sama ada pekerja akan
menerima bayaran lebih masa, perisian mengarahkan ALU
untuk membandingkan bilangan jam pekerja bekerja dalam
minggu ini dengan had masa yang dibenarkan (contohnya,
40 jam). Jika jam bekerja melebihi 40, sebagai contoh,
perisian mengarahkan ALU untuk melaksanakan pengiraan
yang mengira gaji lebih masa.

Page 253 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 9

Processors : Machine Cycle

• For every instruction, a processor repeats a set of

four basic operations, which comprise a machine
cycle

Page 254 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 10

Figure 6-5
Processors : Machine Cycle

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 11

Processors

The processor contains registers, that

temporarily hold data and instructions

The system clock controls the timing

of all computer operations
• The pace of the system clock is called the clock
speed, and is measured in gigahertz (GHz)
Page 255 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 12
Processors : System Clock

• Just as your heart beats at a regular rate to keep your body functioning,
the system clock generates regular electronic pulses, or ticks, that set the
operating pace of components of the system unit.
• Each tick equates to a clock cycle. Processors today typically are
superscalar, which means they can execute more than one instruction
per clock cycle.
• The pace of the system clock, called the clock speed, is measured by the
number of ticks per second. Current personal computer processors have
clock speeds in the gigahertz range. Giga is a prefix that stands for billion,
and a hertz is one cycle per second. Thus, one gigahertz (GHz) equals one
billion ticks of the system clock per second. A computer that operates at 3
GHz has 3 billion (giga) clock cycles in one second (hertz).
• The faster the clock speed, the more instructions the processor can
execute per second.

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 13

Processors

• The leading
manufacturers of
personal computer
processor chips are Intel
and AMD

Page 255 14
Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6
Processors

• A processor chip generates heat that could cause

the chip to malfunction or fail
• Require additional cooling
– Heat sinks
– Liquid cooling technology
– Cooling mats

Pages 256 - 257 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 15

Figures 6-6 – 6-7
Liquid cooling for PC

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 16

Cloud Computing

• Home and business users choose cloud computing

for a variety of reasons

Accessibility Cost savings

Space
Scalability
savings
Page 257 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 17
Data Representation

Analog signals are continuous and vary in strength and

quality

Digital signals are in one of two states: on or off

• Most computers are digital

• The binary system uses two unique digits (0 and 1)
• Bits and bytes
• A bit (short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of data the computer
can process.
• When 8 bits are grouped together as a unit, they form a byte.
Page 259 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 18
Data Representation
The circuitry in a computer or
mobile device represents the on or
the off states electronically by the
presence or absence of an electronic
charge
Eight bits grouped together as a
unit are called a byte. A byte
represents a single character in
the computer or mobile device

Pages 259 - 260 19

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6
Figures 6-8 – 6-9
Data Representation

Page 260 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 20

Figure 6-10
Memory

• Memory consists of electronic components that store

instructions waiting to be executed by the processor,
data needed by those instructions, and the results of
processing the data
• Stores three (3) basic categories of items:
1. The operating system and other programs that
control or maintain the computer and its devices
2. Applications that carry out a specific task, such as
word processing
3. The data being processed by the applications and
the resulting information
Page 261 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 23
Memory

• Each location in memory has an address

• Memory size commonly is measured in gigabytes
(GB) or terabytes (TB)

Page 261 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 24

Figure 6-11
Memory

• The system unit contains two types of memory:

Volatile memory Nonvolatile memory

Loses its contents when Does not lose contents

power is turned off when power is removed

Examples include ROM,

Example includes RAM flash memory, and
CMOS

Page 262 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 25

Memory

Page 262 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 26

Figure 6-12
Memory

• Two common types of RAM chips exist:

Dynamic RAM
Static RAM (SRAM)
(DRAM)
• Dynamic RAM (DRAM pronounced DEE-ram) chips must be reenergized
constantly or they lose their contents. Many variations of DRAM chips exist, most
of which are faster than the basic DRAM (Table 6-1).
• Static RAM (SRAM pronounced ESS-ram) chips are faster and more reliable
than any variation of DRAM chips. These chips do not have to be reenergized as
often as DRAM chips; hence, the term, static. SRAM chips, however, are much
more expensive than DRAM chips.

Page 263 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 27

Table 6-1
Memory

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 28

Memory

• RAM chips usually reside on a memory module

and are inserted into memory slots

Page 263 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 29

Figure 6-13
Memory

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 30

Memory
• Memory cache speeds the processes of the computer because it stores frequently used
instructions and data Most personal computers today have two types of memory cache:
• Level 1 (L1) cache and Level 2 (L2) cache. Some also have Level 3 (L3) cache.
• • L1 cache is built directly on the processor chip. L1 cache usually has a very small
capacity.
• • L2 cache is slightly slower than L1 cache but has a much larger capacity. Current
processors include advanced transfer cache (ATC), a type of L2 cache built directly on the
processor chip. Processors that use ATC perform at much faster rates than those that do
not use it.
• • L3 cache is a cache on the motherboard that is separate from the processor chip. L3
cache exists only on computers that use L2 advanced transfer cache. When the processor
needs an instruction or data, it searches memory in this order: L1 cache, then L2 cache,
then L3 cache (if it exists), then RAM — with a greater delay in processing for each level
of memory it must search (Figure 6-14). Ifthe instruction or data is not found in memory,
then it must search a slower speed storage medium, such as a hard disk or optical disc.

Page265 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 31

Figure 6-14
Memory

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 32

Memory: ROM chip

Read-only memory (ROM) refers to

memory chips storing permanent
data and instructions
• ROM also called as Firmware contain
permanently written data, instructions, or
information such as a computer or mobile
device’s start-up instructions.
Page 265 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 33
Memory : ROM chip

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 34

Memory: Flash Memory

• Flash memory can be erased electronically and

rewritten and other memory chips use
complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS
pronounced SEE-moss) technology because it
provides high speeds and consumes little power.
• CMOS technology uses battery power to retain
information even when the power to the computer is
off. Battery-backed CMOS memory chips, for
example, can keep the calendar, date, and time
current even when the computer is off. The flash
memory chips that store a computer’s start-up
information often use CMOS technology.
Pages 266 - 267 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 35
Memory: Flash Memory
Flash memory

CMOS battery

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 36

Memory

• Access time is the amount of time it takes the

processor to read from memory
– Measured in nanoseconds

Page 267 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 37

Table 6-2 and Figure 6-15
Adapters

• An adapter card enhances

functions of a component of
a desktop or server system
unit and/or provides
connections to peripherals
– Sound card and graphics card
• An expansion slot is a
socket on a desktop or
server motherboard that
can hold an adapter card

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Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6
Table 6-3
Adapters

• With Plug and Play, the computer automatically

can recognize peripheral devices as you install
them

Page 269 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 39

Figure 6-16
Adapters
• Adapters for mobile computers are in the form of
a removable flash memory device.
*USB adapters and ExpressCard modules can be used to add memory, communications,
multimedia, security, and storage capabilities to mobile computers.

– USB adapter
– ExpressCard module

Page 269 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 40

Figures 6-17 – 6-18
Buses

• A bus allows the various devices both inside and

attached to the system unit to communicate with
each other
– Data bus: transfer actual data
– Address bus: transfer information about where the data
should reside in memory.
• Bus width is determines the number of bits that the
computer can transmit at one time.
• Word size is the number of bits the processor can
interpret and execute at a given time
Pages 270 - 271 41
Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6
Figure 6-19
Buses
Buses are used to transfer
bits from input devices to
memory, from memory to
the processor, from the
processor to memory, and
from memory to output or
storage devices.

A 32-bit bus is like a 32-

lane highway. A 64-bit
bus is like a 64-lane
highway.

Discovering Computers: Chapter 6 42

Buses

• A computer might have these three types of

buses:

System Backside
bus bus

Expansion
bus

Page 271 Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 43

Buses

• A system bus, also called the front side bus (FSB),

is part of the motherboard and connects the
processor to main memory.
• A backside bus ( BSB) connects the processor to
cache.
• An expansion bus or I/O Bus allows the processor
to communicate with peripheral devices.

Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6 44

Buses

Discovering Computers: Chapter 6 45

Power Supply and Battery

• The power supply or

laptop AC adapter
converts the wall outlet
AC power into DC
power

Page 271 46
Discovering Computers 2014: Chapter 6
Figure 6-20
Power Supply and Battery

• Mobile computers and devices can run using

either a power supply or batteries
• Batteries typically are rechargeable lithium-ion
batteries

Page 272 Discovering Computers: Chapter 6 47

Figure 6-21
Summary

Types of processors,
Various components Advantages and
steps in a machine
inside computers services of cloud
cycle, and processor
and mobile devices computing
cooling methods

How memory stores

Adapters, buses, Ways to care for
data and described
power supplies and computers and
various types of
batteries mobile devices
memory

Page 275 Discovering Computers: Chapter 6 48

 Discovering Computers
Technology in a World of Computers,
Mobile Devices, and the Internet

Chapter 6
Inside Computers
and Mobile Devices
Chapter 6 Complete