https://www.cs.umd.edu/~meesh/411/CA-online/chapter/computer-architectureintroduction/index.html
https://learn.saylor.org/course/view.php?id=71§ionid=15426
https://rdw.rowan.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=oer#chapter.1
https://dc.etsu.edu/computer-organization-design-oer/3/https://dc.etsu.edu/computer-organization-design-oer/1/https://dc.etsu.edu/computer-organization-design-oer/4/
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The motherboard is a large board-like chip hosting multiple devices and chips that are essential for the computer's operation, such as the CPU, RAM (memory), cache, graphics cards (GPU), wires connection all these devices, and many more. Every modern desktop and laptop computer, every cell phone device, and many other devices has a motherboard. One reason for the name "motherboard" is that, just as a mother bears her children, this board bears the mentioned vital devices upon itself.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The motherboard is a large board-like chip hosting multiple devices and chips that are essential for the computer's operation, such as the CPU, RAM (memory), cache, graphics cards (GPU), wires connection all these devices, and many more. Every modern desktop and laptop computer, every cell phone device, and many other devices has a motherboard. One reason for the name "motherboard" is that, just as a mother bears her children, this board bears the mentioned vital devices upon itself.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The motherboard is a large board-like chip hosting multiple devices and chips that are essential for the computer's operation, such as the CPU, RAM (memory), cache, graphics cards (GPU), wires connection all these devices, and many more. Every modern desktop and laptop computer, every cell phone device, and many other devices has a motherboard. One reason for the name "motherboard" is that, just as a mother bears her children, this board bears the mentioned vital devices upon itself.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The motherboard is a large board-like chip hosting multiple devices and chips that are essential for the computer's operation, such as the CPU, RAM (memory), cache, graphics cards (GPU), wires connection all these devices, and many more. Every modern desktop and laptop computer, every cell phone device, and many other devices has a motherboard. One reason for the name "motherboard" is that, just as a mother bears her children, this board bears the mentioned vital devices upon itself.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU (= Central Processing Unit), also referred to sometimes as the processor or microprocessor, is the brain of the computer that calculates things (e.g., adding numbers, extracting the first letter of a string, etc.) makes decisions (e.g., decides whether to add a number or subtract it, depending on a given condition such as via an IF-ELSE statement), and, in general, runs a program's instructions. Note that the computer's Operating System, e.g., Windows, is itself a program (more accurately: software,) so the CPU is necessary for your computer to work at all times! A CPU might contain multiple cores, each of which can perform computations and execute instructions independently and in parallel to the other cores. A quad-core CPU, for example, contains 4 cores that can run 4 programs in parallel. The CPU shown in this image, Intel Core i5-2300, is such a quad-core CPU.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: Main Memory, also known as RAM (= Random Access Memory), or simply "memory", is a device whose purpose is to store the values of variables, arrays, and objects, as well as all the currently running programs' instructions. Every program is built up of instructions, and every program uses variables (such as the arguments and return value from the main() function), which means every program resorts to storing data in memory during its execution. Note again that the Operating System is itself a program, which means that, while your device is turned on, there is always some data stored in RAM. Memory is a volatile device: once the computer is turned off, the data in it is deleted (since, while the computer is off, no program runs on it.) This means that, if, for instance, you added text into a Word file, but forgot to save it, all your data will be deleted (unless Word's autosave feature is turned on and unless your device is sophisticated enough to save your data moments before shutting off, such as in some cases of a power outage.)
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: Main Memory, also known as RAM (= Random Access Memory), or simply "memory", is a device whose purpose is to store the values of variables, arrays, and objects, as well as all the currently running programs' instructions. Every program is built up of instructions, and every program uses variables (such as the arguments and return value from the main() function), which means every program resorts to storing data in memory during its execution. Note again that the Operating System is itself a program, which means that, while your device is turned on, there is always some data stored in RAM. Memory is a volatile device: once the computer is turned off, the data in it is deleted (since, while the computer is off, no program runs on it.) This means that, if, for instance, you added text into a Word file, but forgot to save it, all your data will be deleted (unless Word's autosave feature is turned on and unless your device is sophisticated enough to save your data moments before shutting off, such as in some cases of a power outage.)
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU (= Central Processing Unit), also referred to sometimes as the processor or microprocessor, is the brain of the computer that calculates things (e.g., adding numbers, extracting the first letter of a string, etc.) makes decisions (e.g., decides whether to add a number or subtract it, depending on a given condition such as via an IF-ELSE statement), and, in general, runs a program's instructions. Note that the computer's Operating System, e.g., Windows, is itself a program (more accurately: software,) so the CPU is necessary for your computer to work at all times! A CPU might contain multiple cores, each of which can perform computations and execute instructions independently and in parallel to the other cores. A quad-core CPU, for example, contains 4 cores that can run 4 programs in parallel. The CPU shown in this image, Intel Core i5-2300, is such a quad-core CPU.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU (= Central Processing Unit), also referred to sometimes as the processor or microprocessor, is the brain of the computer that calculates things (e.g., adding numbers, extracting the first letter of a string, etc.) makes decisions (e.g., decides whether to add a number or subtract it, depending on a given condition such as via an IF-ELSE statement), and, in general, runs a program's instructions. Note that the computer's Operating System, e.g., Windows, is itself a program (more accurately: software,) so the CPU is necessary for your computer to work at all times! A CPU might contain multiple cores, each of which can perform computations and execute instructions independently and in parallel to the other cores. A quad-core CPU, for example, contains 4 cores that can run 4 programs in parallel. The CPU shown in this image, Intel Core i5-2300, is such a quad-core CPU.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU (= Central Processing Unit), also referred to sometimes as the processor or microprocessor, is the brain of the computer that calculates things (e.g., adding numbers, extracting the first letter of a string, etc.) makes decisions (e.g., decides whether to add a number or subtract it, depending on a given condition such as via an IF-ELSE statement), and, in general, runs a program's instructions. Note that the computer's Operating System, e.g., Windows, is itself a program (more accurately: software,) so the CPU is necessary for your computer to work at all times! A CPU might contain multiple cores, each of which can perform computations and execute instructions independently and in parallel to the other cores. A quad-core CPU, for example, contains 4 cores that can run 4 programs in parallel. The CPU shown in this image, Intel Core i5-2300, is such a quad-core CPU.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU (= Central Processing Unit), also referred to sometimes as the processor or microprocessor, is the brain of the computer that calculates things (e.g., adding numbers, extracting the first letter of a string, etc.) makes decisions (e.g., decides whether to add a number or subtract it, depending on a given condition such as via an IF-ELSE statement), and, in general, runs a program's instructions. Note that the computer's Operating System, e.g., Windows, is itself a program (more accurately: software,) so the CPU is necessary for your computer to work at all times! A CPU might contain multiple cores, each of which can perform computations and execute instructions independently and in parallel to the other cores. A quad-core CPU, for example, contains 4 cores that can run 4 programs in parallel. The CPU shown in this image, Intel Core i5-2300, is such a quad-core CPU.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU (= Central Processing Unit), also referred to sometimes as the processor or microprocessor, is the brain of the computer that calculates things (e.g., adding numbers, extracting the first letter of a string, etc.) makes decisions (e.g., decides whether to add a number or subtract it, depending on a given condition such as via an IF-ELSE statement), and, in general, runs a program's instructions. Note that the computer's Operating System, e.g., Windows, is itself a program (more accurately: software,) so the CPU is necessary for your computer to work at all times! A CPU might contain multiple cores, each of which can perform computations and execute instructions independently and in parallel to the other cores. A quad-core CPU, for example, contains 4 cores that can run 4 programs in parallel. The CPU shown in this image, Intel Core i5-2300, is such a quad-core CPU.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: Main Memory, also known as RAM (= Random Access Memory), or simply "memory", is a device whose purpose is to store the values of variables, arrays, and objects, as well as all the currently running programs' instructions. Every program is built up of instructions, and every program uses variables (such as the arguments and return value from the main() function), which means every program resorts to storing data in memory during its execution. Note again that the Operating System is itself a program, which means that, while your device is turned on, there is always some data stored in RAM. Memory is a volatile device: once the computer is turned off, the data in it is deleted (since, while the computer is off, no program runs on it.) This means that, if, for instance, you added text into a Word file, but forgot to save it, all your data will be deleted (unless Word's autosave feature is turned on and unless your device is sophisticated enough to save your data moments before shutting off, such as in some cases of a power outage.)
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: Main Memory, also known as RAM (= Random Access Memory), or simply "memory", is a device whose purpose is to store the values of variables, arrays, and objects, as well as all the currently running programs' instructions. Every program is built up of instructions, and every program uses variables (such as the arguments and return value from the main() function), which means every program resorts to storing data in memory during its execution. Note again that the Operating System is itself a program, which means that, while your device is turned on, there is always some data stored in RAM. Memory is a volatile device: once the computer is turned off, the data in it is deleted (since, while the computer is off, no program runs on it.) This means that, if, for instance, you added text into a Word file, but forgot to save it, all your data will be deleted (unless Word's autosave feature is turned on and unless your device is sophisticated enough to save your data moments before shutting off, such as in some cases of a power outage.)
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: Main Memory, also known as RAM (= Random Access Memory), or simply "memory", is a device whose purpose is to store the values of variables, arrays, and objects, as well as all the currently running programs' instructions. Every program is built up of instructions, and every program uses variables (such as the arguments and return value from the main() function), which means every program resorts to storing data in memory during its execution. Note again that the Operating System is itself a program, which means that, while your device is turned on, there is always some data stored in RAM. Memory is a volatile device: once the computer is turned off, the data in it is deleted (since, while the computer is off, no program runs on it.) This means that, if, for instance, you added text into a Word file, but forgot to save it, all your data will be deleted (unless Word's autosave feature is turned on and unless your device is sophisticated enough to save your data moments before shutting off, such as in some cases of a power outage.)
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: Main Memory, also known as RAM (= Random Access Memory), or simply "memory", is a device whose purpose is to store the values of variables, arrays, and objects, as well as all the currently running programs' instructions. Every program is built up of instructions, and every program uses variables (such as the arguments and return value from the main() function), which means every program resorts to storing data in memory during its execution. Note again that the Operating System is itself a program, which means that, while your device is turned on, there is always some data stored in RAM. Memory is a volatile device: once the computer is turned off, the data in it is deleted (since, while the computer is off, no program runs on it.) This means that, if, for instance, you added text into a Word file, but forgot to save it, all your data will be deleted (unless Word's autosave feature is turned on and unless your device is sophisticated enough to save your data moments before shutting off, such as in some cases of a power outage.)
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU's fan and the heatsink work combinedly to drive heat away from your device's CPU. While running instructions or calculating things, the CPU's temperature increases because electric currents flow through the CPU and, some of the energy from this electricity turns into heat. Since a CPU runs millions, if not billions, of instructions per second, heat builds up in the CPU. The problem is that the performance of a hot CPU decreases, so heat must be removed away from the CPU. To achieve this, a fan is installed right on top of the CPU inside the computer. As a result, hot air near the CPU is pushed away towards the heatsink (which contains air passages called fins through which hot air can escape) and outside of the computer, being exchanged with cooler air, which cools the CPU. The humming sound you sometimes hear inside your computer, especially when you run a heavy program such as a game, is the CPU fan, whose rotation speed is increased to drive heat away from your hardworking CPU!
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU's fan and the heatsink work combinedly to drive heat away from your device's CPU. While running instructions or calculating things, the CPU's temperature increases because electric currents flow through the CPU and, some of the energy from this electricity turns into heat. Since a CPU runs millions, if not billions, of instructions per second, heat builds up in the CPU. The problem is that the performance of a hot CPU decreases, so heat must be removed away from the CPU. To achieve this, a fan is installed right on top of the CPU inside the computer. As a result, hot air near the CPU is pushed away towards the heatsink (which contains air passages called fins through which hot air can escape) and outside of the computer, being exchanged with cooler air, which cools the CPU. The humming sound you sometimes hear inside your computer, especially when you run a heavy program such as a game, is the CPU fan, whose rotation speed is increased to drive heat away from your hardworking CPU!
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU's fan and the heatsink work combinedly to drive heat away from your device's CPU. While running instructions or calculating things, the CPU's temperature increases because electric currents flow through the CPU and, some of the energy from this electricity turns into heat. Since a CPU runs millions, if not billions, of instructions per second, heat builds up in the CPU. The problem is that the performance of a hot CPU decreases, so heat must be removed away from the CPU. To achieve this, a fan is installed right on top of the CPU inside the computer. As a result, hot air near the CPU is pushed away towards the heatsink (which contains air passages called fins through which hot air can escape) and outside of the computer, being exchanged with cooler air, which cools the CPU. The humming sound you sometimes hear inside your computer, especially when you run a heavy program such as a game, is the CPU fan, whose rotation speed is increased to drive heat away from your hardworking CPU!
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU's fan and the heatsink work combinedly to drive heat away from your device's CPU. While running instructions or calculating things, the CPU's temperature increases because electric currents flow through the CPU and, some of the energy from this electricity turns into heat. Since a CPU runs millions, if not billions, of instructions per second, heat builds up in the CPU. The problem is that the performance of a hot CPU decreases, so heat must be removed away from the CPU. To achieve this, a fan is installed right on top of the CPU inside the computer. As a result, hot air near the CPU is pushed away towards the heatsink (which contains air passages called fins through which hot air can escape) and outside of the computer, being exchanged with cooler air, which cools the CPU. The humming sound you sometimes hear inside your computer, especially when you run a heavy program such as a game, is the CPU fan, whose rotation speed is increased to drive heat away from your hardworking CPU!
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU's fan and the heatsink work combinedly to drive heat away from your device's CPU. While running instructions or calculating things, the CPU's temperature increases because electric currents flow through the CPU and, some of the energy from this electricity turns into heat. Since a CPU runs millions, if not billions, of instructions per second, heat builds up in the CPU. The problem is that the performance of a hot CPU decreases, so heat must be removed away from the CPU. To achieve this, a fan is installed right on top of the CPU inside the computer. As a result, hot air near the CPU is pushed away towards the heatsink (which contains air passages called fins through which hot air can escape) and outside of the computer, being exchanged with cooler air, which cools the CPU. The humming sound you sometimes hear inside your computer, especially when you run a heavy program such as a game, is the CPU fan, whose rotation speed is increased to drive heat away from your hardworking CPU!
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU's fan and the heatsink work combinedly to drive heat away from your device's CPU. While running instructions or calculating things, the CPU's temperature increases because electric currents flow through the CPU and, some of the energy from this electricity turns into heat. Since a CPU runs millions, if not billions, of instructions per second, heat builds up in the CPU. The problem is that the performance of a hot CPU decreases, so heat must be removed away from the CPU. To achieve this, a fan is installed right on top of the CPU inside the computer. As a result, hot air near the CPU is pushed away towards the heatsink (which contains air passages called fins through which hot air can escape) and outside of the computer, being exchanged with cooler air, which cools the CPU. The humming sound you sometimes hear inside your computer, especially when you run a heavy program such as a game, is the CPU fan, whose rotation speed is increased to drive heat away from your hardworking CPU!
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU's fan and the heatsink work combinedly to drive heat away from your device's CPU. While running instructions or calculating things, the CPU's temperature increases because electric currents flow through the CPU and, some of the energy from this electricity turns into heat. Since a CPU runs millions, if not billions, of instructions per second, heat builds up in the CPU. The problem is that the performance of a hot CPU decreases, so heat must be removed away from the CPU. To achieve this, a fan is installed right on top of the CPU inside the computer. As a result, hot air near the CPU is pushed away towards the heatsink (which contains air passages called fins through which hot air can escape) and outside of the computer, being exchanged with cooler air, which cools the CPU. The humming sound you sometimes hear inside your computer, especially when you run a heavy program such as a game, is the CPU fan, whose rotation speed is increased to drive heat away from your hardworking CPU!
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU's fan and the heatsink work combinedly to drive heat away from your device's CPU. While running instructions or calculating things, the CPU's temperature increases because electric currents flow through the CPU and, some of the energy from this electricity turns into heat. Since a CPU runs millions, if not billions, of instructions per second, heat builds up in the CPU. The problem is that the performance of a hot CPU decreases, so heat must be removed away from the CPU. To achieve this, a fan is installed right on top of the CPU inside the computer. As a result, hot air near the CPU is pushed away towards the heatsink (which contains air passages called fins through which hot air can escape) and outside of the computer, being exchanged with cooler air, which cools the CPU. The humming sound you sometimes hear inside your computer, especially when you run a heavy program such as a game, is the CPU fan, whose rotation speed is increased to drive heat away from your hardworking CPU!
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CPU's fan and the heatsink work combinedly to drive heat away from your device's CPU. While running instructions or calculating things, the CPU's temperature increases because electric currents flow through the CPU and, some of the energy from this electricity turns into heat. Since a CPU runs millions, if not billions, of instructions per second, heat builds up in the CPU. The problem is that the performance of a hot CPU decreases, so heat must be removed away from the CPU. To achieve this, a fan is installed right on top of the CPU inside the computer. As a result, hot air near the CPU is pushed away towards the heatsink (which contains air passages called fins through which hot air can escape) and outside of the computer, being exchanged with cooler air, which cools the CPU. The humming sound you sometimes hear inside your computer, especially when you run a heavy program such as a game, is the CPU fan, whose rotation speed is increased to drive heat away from your hardworking CPU!
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The disk (also known as secondary memory and secondary storage,) is a device whose purpose is to store your device's files and configuration info. By files we mean not only documents you work with (e.g., Notepad text files, Word, etc.,) but also system files, which are files in which your device's Operating System stores information that is critical for the correct work of your device. Unlike main memory, secondary storage devices aren't erased when the computer shuts down (otherwise, you working on a course project over a period of time wouldn't have been possible!) Usually, the capacity of a disk is much greater than that of RAM (for comparison, a typical RAM chip can contain 2, 4, or 8 Gigabytes (= 1 billion bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes) of data, while secondary memory devices can host tens of Terabytes (= a million million = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes) of data! We will explain why making the main memory that large might make the computer inefficient. Secondary storage devices, like the hard disk drive in the image, aren't a part of the motherboard; they are installed inside the device but at a distance from the motherboard. Secondary storage devices connect to the motherboard via cables. One such technology connecting a disk to the motherboard is SATA (= Serial Advanced Technology Attachment,) which the disk in the image happens to use.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The disk (also known as secondary memory and secondary storage,) is a device whose purpose is to store your device's files and configuration info. By files we mean not only documents you work with (e.g., Notepad text files, Word, etc.,) but also system files, which are files in which your device's Operating System stores information that is critical for the correct work of your device. Unlike main memory, secondary storage devices aren't erased when the computer shuts down (otherwise, you working on a course project over a period of time wouldn't have been possible!) Usually, the capacity of a disk is much greater than that of RAM (for comparison, a typical RAM chip can contain 2, 4, or 8 Gigabytes (= 1 billion bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes) of data, while secondary memory devices can host tens of Terabytes (= a million million = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes) of data! We will explain why making the main memory that large might make the computer inefficient. Secondary storage devices, like the hard disk drive in the image, aren't a part of the motherboard; they are installed inside the device but at a distance from the motherboard. Secondary storage devices connect to the motherboard via cables. One such technology connecting a disk to the motherboard is SATA (= Serial Advanced Technology Attachment,) which the disk in the image happens to use.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The disk (also known as secondary memory and secondary storage,) is a device whose purpose is to store your device's files and configuration info. By files we mean not only documents you work with (e.g., Notepad text files, Word, etc.,) but also system files, which are files in which your device's Operating System stores information that is critical for the correct work of your device. Unlike main memory, secondary storage devices aren't erased when the computer shuts down (otherwise, you working on a course project over a period of time wouldn't have been possible!) Usually, the capacity of a disk is much greater than that of RAM (for comparison, a typical RAM chip can contain 2, 4, or 8 Gigabytes (= 1 billion bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes) of data, while secondary memory devices can host tens of Terabytes (= a million million = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes) of data! We will explain why making the main memory that large might make the computer inefficient. Secondary storage devices, like the hard disk drive in the image, aren't a part of the motherboard; they are installed inside the device but at a distance from the motherboard. Secondary storage devices connect to the motherboard via cables. One such technology connecting a disk to the motherboard is SATA (= Serial Advanced Technology Attachment,) which the disk in the image happens to use.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The disk (also known as secondary memory and secondary storage,) is a device whose purpose is to store your device's files and configuration info. By files we mean not only documents you work with (e.g., Notepad text files, Word, etc.,) but also system files, which are files in which your device's Operating System stores information that is critical for the correct work of your device. Unlike main memory, secondary storage devices aren't erased when the computer shuts down (otherwise, you working on a course project over a period of time wouldn't have been possible!) Usually, the capacity of a disk is much greater than that of RAM (for comparison, a typical RAM chip can contain 2, 4, or 8 Gigabytes (= 1 billion bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes) of data, while secondary memory devices can host tens of Terabytes (= a million million = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes) of data! We will explain why making the main memory that large might make the computer inefficient. Secondary storage devices, like the hard disk drive in the image, aren't a part of the motherboard; they are installed inside the device but at a distance from the motherboard. Secondary storage devices connect to the motherboard via cables. One such technology connecting a disk to the motherboard is SATA (= Serial Advanced Technology Attachment,) which the disk in the image happens to use.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The disk (also known as secondary memory and secondary storage,) is a device whose purpose is to store your device's files and configuration info. By files we mean not only documents you work with (e.g., Notepad text files, Word, etc.,) but also system files, which are files in which your device's Operating System stores information that is critical for the correct work of your device. Unlike main memory, secondary storage devices aren't erased when the computer shuts down (otherwise, you working on a course project over a period of time wouldn't have been possible!) Usually, the capacity of a disk is much greater than that of RAM (for comparison, a typical RAM chip can contain 2, 4, or 8 Gigabytes (= 1 billion bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes) of data, while secondary memory devices can host tens of Terabytes (= a million million = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes) of data! We will explain why making the main memory that large might make the computer inefficient. Secondary storage devices, like the hard disk drive in the image, aren't a part of the motherboard; they are installed inside the device but at a distance from the motherboard. Secondary storage devices connect to the motherboard via cables. One such technology connecting a disk to the motherboard is SATA (= Serial Advanced Technology Attachment,) which the disk in the image happens to use.
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CD drive or CD reader is a device that reads data from CDs (= compact disk) and DVDs (= digital optical disk) and sends this data for the CPU to process. CDs and DVDs are another type of secondary storage devices, but ones that are portable: you can carry them from place to place, unlike a computer's hard disk drive, which is non-portable and always sits inside your computer. while some computers have CD drives built into them, others don't, in which case you might want to buy a portable CD drive, which you can connect to your computer via a USB cable. Another example of a portable secondary storage device is a USB flash drive (a.k.a., a USB stick.)
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CD drive or CD reader is a device that reads data from CDs (= compact disk) and DVDs (= digital optical disk) and sends this data for the CPU to process. CDs and DVDs are another type of secondary storage devices, but ones that are portable: you can carry them from place to place, unlike a computer's hard disk drive, which is non-portable and always sits inside your computer. while some computers have CD drives built into them, others don't, in which case you might want to buy a portable CD drive, which you can connect to your computer via a USB cable. Another example of a portable secondary storage device is a USB flash drive (a.k.a., a USB stick.)
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
This image taken on 8 July, 2024 by Miriam Briskman is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Description: The CD drive or CD reader is a device that reads data from CDs (= compact disk) and DVDs (= digital optical disk) and sends this data for the CPU to process. CDs and DVDs are another type of secondary storage devices, but ones that are portable: you can carry them from place to place, unlike a computer's hard disk drive, which is non-portable and always sits inside your computer. while some computers have CD drives built into them, others don't, in which case you might want to buy a portable CD drive, which you can connect to your computer via a USB cable. Another example of a portable secondary storage device is a USB flash drive (a.k.a., a USB stick.)
Note: Images in this gallery transition (change) every 5 seconds. If you wish to look at an image for a longer time, zoom into it, or download it, you can click on an image to open it in a new tab.
"Introduction to Computer Organization and Architecture (COA)" by Neso Academy
YouTube URL: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol8D69VKX2k
"Basics of Computer Architecture" by Neso Academy
YouTube URL: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRInNLx3Tug
"Computer Organization and Architecture Lesson 1 - Introduction" by James Kirsch
YouTube URL: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6_yhVTDfUE
"Computer Organization and Architecture Lesson 2 - Why Learn?" by James Kirsch
YouTube URL: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_21dNxKC4o
"Intro to Computer Architecture" by KarBytes CS
YouTube URL: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEjPop-aK_w
"Computer Basics: Inside a Computer" by GCFLearnFree
YouTube URL: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB4I2CgkcCo
Unless otherwise noted this Open Educational Resource (OER) CISC 3310 Principles of Computer Architecture was created and curated by Professor Miriam Briskman and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. (Some documents require Adobe Acrobat Reader. )Site design and formatting by Amy Wolfe, OER Developer (Brooklyn College) and Accessibility Librarian (CUNY Office of Library Services).
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