Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Brain of the computer that performs instructions defined by software
Hard Drive
Storage device that stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating rigid disks with magnetic surfaces. The device is either permanently installed within the computer case or can be portable
Motherboard
Printed circuit board on which the CPU, RAM chips and other electronic circuit elements of a digital computer are frequently located.
RAM
Random Access Memory - temporary place to store material that works quickly. erased when computer turns off. Volatile.
Software
Set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do. It is what guides the hardware and tells it how to accomplish each task.
Wireless Network
Any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind.
Operating System (OS)
Software used to control the computer and its peripheral equipment.
Power Supply
A device that provides power to a computer.
Input
device used to insert data into a computer or other device (ex: keyboard, mouse, microphone, scanner, voice recognition)
Output
device that projects images, gives sound, and basically gives out the info from the computer so the user can obtain it (ex: monitor, printer, projector, speakers)
Binary Code
Groupings of 1's and 0's that makes information that a computer can understand.
ROM
Read Only Memory- Permanent instructions that cannot be changed. It makes the BIOS function. Checks your OS.
User Friendly
Something anyone can operate
Order of bytes from least to greatest
bits, byte, kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte, terabyte.
Auxiliary Storage Devices
ex: network drive, hard drive, flash drive, google drive.
operating system software
Programs that make the computer work. ex: Windows 8, vista, GUI, Linux.
Application Software
ex: Word, Excel, Photoshop, WordPerfect...
Boot Process
starting up a computer from a halted or powered down condition.