UNIVERSITY OF ANTIQUE GEE22

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE 1

Sibalom, Antique .

CHAPTER 3
COMPUTER SYSTEM COMPONENTS (Hardware)

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
After successful completion of this module, the student can be able to:
1. Categorize the types of computer hardware.
2. Describe the role and function of each hardware component in a computer system.
3. Categorize and differentiate between various input devices, output devices and storage
devices and explain their specific functions and roles in data processing.
4. Discuss storage peripherals such as external hard drives, USB flash drives, and memory
cards. Understand their role in data storage, transfer, and backup.
5. Explain what Information Processing Cycle is.

INTRODUCTION

Computers are ubiquitous, serving as vital tools for communication and information
access in various settings. From workplaces to schools and homes, they facilitate
correspondence, manage tasks, and offer instant access to global information. In the
workplace, employees utilize computers for tasks like email communication, payroll
calculations, and inventory tracking. In education, teachers integrate computers into
instruction, and students use them for assignments and research. Despite the convenience
they provide, it's crucial to understand the inner workings of computers. This chapter will
delve into the origins of computers, the components that enhance our lives (hardware,
software, and peopleware), and their interconnected relationships.

Computer hardware is the bits and pieces that make up computers. For example, the
hard disk drive, its processors, video cards etc. Peripherals like the monitor, mouse and
printer, or storage devices - which you plug into your computer - are also considered
hardware. Hardware requires software to run correctly. Without the correct hardware, your
software may not run efficiently or at all. It is important to consider both when making
decisions about your IT systems, as this can affect the way you work, your productivity and your
business' bottom line.

TREE DIAGRAM OF COMPUTER SYSTEM COMPONENTS

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WHAT IS A COMPUTER?

A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its
own memory, that can accept data, process the data according to specified rules, produce
results, and store the results for future use.
WHAT IS HARDWARE

Hardware is the equipment, or the physical devices, associated with a computer. For
example, keyboards, mice, speakers, and printers are all hardware. The devices are
manufactured differently for large mainframe computers, laptops, and even smaller
computers that are embedded into products such as cars and thermostats, but the types of
operations performed by different-sized computers are very similar. When you think of a
computer, you often think of its physical components first, but for a computer to be useful, it
needs more than devices; a computer needs to be given instructions. Computer hardware
needs instructions that control how and when data items are input, how they are processed,
and the form in which they are output or stored.
TYPES OF HARDWARE

1. Input Devices
2. Processing Device
3. Output Devices
4. Storage Device

LESSON 3.1 INFORMATION PROCESSING CYCLE

Computer process data (input) into information (output). Computers carry out processes using
instructions, which are the steps that tell the computer how to perform a particular task. A
collection of related instructions organized for a common purpose is referred to as software. A
computer often holds data, information, and instructions in storage for future use. Some
people refer to the series of input, process, output, and storage activities as the information
processing cycle. Recently, communications also have become an essential element of the
information processing cycle.
DATA AND INFORMATION

Computer process data into information. Data is a collection of unprocessed items, which can
include text, numbers, images, audio, and video. Information conveys meaning and is useful to
people.

SCIENTIFIC DIAGRAM OF INFORMATION PROCESSING CYCLE

RETRIEVE FROM: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Information-processing-cycle

Input - The cycle begins with input. This is the phase where the computer gathers data from
various sources. It could be data entered by a user through a keyboard, mouse, or other input
devices. We'll discuss different input methods and how they contribute to the data collection
process.

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Processing - Once the computer has the data, it's time to process it. This is where the magic
happens! The central processing unit (CPU) takes the raw data and performs operations on it.
We'll delve into what happens inside the CPU, how it manipulates data, and the role of
memory in storing temporary information during processing.

Storage - After processing, the results need a home. We explore the concept of storage, both
temporary (RAM) and long-term (hard drives, SSDs). Understanding how computers store data
is crucial for comprehending the retrieval process and maintaining information for future use.

Output - The final phase is output. This is where the computer presents the processed
information to the user. It could be displayed on a monitor, printed on paper, or even
transmitted to other devices. We'll discuss various output methods and their significance in
communicating the results of the processing stage.

LESSON 3.2 INPUT DEVICES

Input devices are hardware components that allow users to interact with a computer by
providing data or control signals. These devices enable users to input information, commands,
or signals into the computer system.
WIDELY USED INPUT DEVICES

Keyboard - A typewriter-like device that allows users to input alphanumeric characters and
commands by pressing keys.
Mouse - A pointing device that typically has two buttons and a scroll wheel. It is used to
move a cursor on the screen and interact with graphical user interfaces.

DESKTOP COMPUTER KEYBOARD OPTICAL MOUSE

Touchpad - Commonly found on laptops, it allows users to move the cursor by swiping or
tapping on a sensitive surface.
Touch Screen - A display screen that is sensitive to touch, allowing users to interact directly
with the display by tapping, swiping, or using gestures.

BUILT IN TOUCHPAD IN A LAPTOP LAPTOP WITH BUILT IN TOUCHSCREEN

Scanner - Converts physical documents or images into digital format by scanning and
capturing the information.
Microphone - Captures audio input, allowing users to record voice, make voice
commands, or engage in voice communication.

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BARCODE SCANNER TYPICAL MICROPHONE FREQUENTLY USED IN COMPUTERS.

Web Camera - Captures video input, commonly used for video conferencing, online
meetings, and live streaming.
Joystick/Gamepad: Used for gaming, these devices provide a means for users to control
characters or elements in video games.

WEB CAMERA LETS USERS RECORD BOTH JOYSTICK USED TO CONTROL THE GAMEPAD IS USED FOR PLAYING VIDEO
VIDEOS AND STILL PHOTOGRAPHS ONCE MOVEMENT OF DIGITAL OBJECT IN A GAMES
CONNECTED TO A PERSONAL COMPUTER SCREEN.
COMPUTER.

Biometric Devices: Includes fingerprint scanners, facial recognition systems, and iris
scanners, which authenticate users based on unique biological characteristics.

BIOMETRIC IS MAINLY USED FOR IDENTIFICATION AND ACCESS CONTROL.

LESSON 3.3 PROCESSING DEVICE AND OUTPUT DEVICE

PROCESSING DEVICE
Processing device is the hardware within a computer that carries out the instructions of a
computer program by performing the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations
of the system.
SYSTEM UNIT
The system unit is a case that contains electronic components of the computer that are used to

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process data. The circuitry of the system unit usually is part of or is connected to a circuit board
called the motherboard.

COMPUTER SYSTEM UNIT MOTHERBOARD OF DESKTOP COMPUTER

TWO MAIN COMPONENTS ON THE MOTHERBOARD

Processor – alternatively referred to as the brain of the computer, processor, central

processor, or microprocessor, the CPU (pronounced as C-P-U) was first developed
at Intel with the help of Ted Hoff in the early 1970's and is short for Central Processing
Unit. It is the electronic component that interprets and carries out the basic instructions
that operate the computer. The computer CPU is responsible for handling all instructions it
receives from hardware and software running on the computer. The CPU is made up of
gold pins.

CPU/ PROCESSOR OF COMPUTER

2 TYPICAL COMPONENTS OF CPU

▪Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) which performs arithmetic and logical operations.
▪Control Unit (CU) extracts instructions from memory and decodes and executes
them, calling on the ALU when necessary.
Memory - consists of electronic components that store instructions waiting to be executed
and data needed by those instructions. Most memory keeps data and instructions
temporarily, which means its contents are erased when the computer is shut off.

OUTPUT DEVICES
Output Device produce or give the result base on what data being inputed using input
devices. Convert the processed as and is back into a form understandable to humans and
present the results to the user. Typically, output occurs on the screen or paper.

Common Output Device

Display Devices
Printers
Audio Output

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DISPLAY DEVICES
The most common form of output device-presents output visually, typically on some type
of computer screen. It is also used to view output while working on the computer. To read
a document away from the computer, another output device-the printer, is used.

Types Of Display Devices

• Cathode Ray Tube /CRT monitor

It is using an electron gun sealed inside a large glass tube fires at a phosphor-coated
screen to light up the appropriate pixels in the appropriate color to display the images,
similar to a conventional television.

FIGURE 3.7 CRT COMPUTER MONITOR

• Flat Panel Display

Form images by manipulating electronically charged chemicals or gases sandwiched
between thin panes of glass instead of using a bulky electron gun like CRT monitors.

FIGURE 3.8 FLAT PANEL COMPUTER MONITOR

3 examples are:

o LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY (LCD)

A flat panel screen that uses the liquid crystal display (LCD) technology and
connects to a computer. Laptops have used LCD screens almost exclusively, and
the LCD monitor is the standard display screen for desktop computers. By 2004,
LCD desktop monitors outsold the traditional, bulky tube monitors.

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FIGURE 3.9 A BROKEN LCD MONITOR

o LIGHT EMITTING DIODE

LED monitor or LED display is a flat screen, flat-panel computer monitor or
television. It has a very short depth and is light in terms of weight. The actual
difference between this and a typical LCD monitor is the backlighting. The first LCD
monitors used CCFL instead of LEDs to illuminate the screen.

FIGURE 3.10 EXAMPLE OF LED DISPLAY

o PLASMA DISPLAY
Use a layered technology like LCD and LED, but they use a layer of gas between
two plates of glass, instead of liquid crystals or organic material. Like CRT a
phosphor coated screen is used, but an electron grid layer and electronic charges
are used (as in LCD displays) to make the gas atoms light up the appropriate
phosphors to create the image on the screen.

FIGURE 3.11 CLOSE UP SHOT OF PLASMA TV SCREEN

• Projector
Connects to a computer, and any output that is sent to the computer monitor is also
projected through the projector onto a wall or projection screen. It also called data/
video projectors, multimedia projectors or digital projectors.

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FIGURE 3.12 PROJECTOR AND SCREEN

PRINTERS
Printers - produce hard copy; that is, a permanent copy of the output on paper.

Types Of Printers
• Impact Printers have a print mechanism that strikes the paper to transfer ink to the
paper.
example: Dot- matrix printer uses a print head consisting of pins that strike an inked
ribbon to transfer the ink to the paper. Impact printers are primarily used today for
producing multipart forms, such as invoices, packing clips and credit card receipts.

FIGURE 3.13 EPSON DOT MATRIX PRINTER

• Non-impact printers it forms images without the print mechanism touching the
paper. Usually, it produces a higher quality image and are much quieter than
impact printers.
Example:
Laser Printers to print a document, the laser printer first uses a laser beam to charge
the appropriate locations on a drum to form the pages image, and then the toner
powder (powdered ink) is released from a toner cartridge and sticks to the drum.
The toner is then transferred to a piece of paper when the paper is rolled over the
drum, and a heating unit fuses the toner powder to the paper to permanently form
the image. Laser printers are faster and have better quality output than ink- jet
printers.

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FIGURE 3.14 EXAMPLE OF LASER

PRINTER

FIGURE 3.15 LASER PRINTER TONER

CARTRIDGE

Ink- Jet printers form images by spraying tiny drops of liquid ink onto the page, one
printed line at a time. Some printers print with one single sized ink droplet; other
print using different sized ink droplets by using multiple nozzles or varying
electrical charges for more precise printing.

FIGURE 3.16 EXAMPLE OF INKJET

PRINTER
FIGURE 3.17 INK JET PRINTER
CARTRIDGE

AUDIO OUTPUT It is an output in the form of voice or music. Speakers and headset are the
most common types of audio output hardware.

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