Intro to Computers
Gigahertz (GHz)
A clock rate of one billion cycles per second.
Megahertz (MHz)
A clock rate of one million cycles per second.
Output Device
Any piece of computer hardware used to communicate the data processed by the computer .
Input Device
Any piece of computer hardware used to provide data to the computer.
Surge Protector
Appliance designed to protect computer electronics from electrical damage.
Basic Input/output System (BIOS)
Built-in program which initializes computer hardware and launches the operating system when the computer starts.
Power Cord
Cable connecting the computer to the electrical supply; aids in delivering power to the main computer.
Power Connector
Cable inside the computer connecting the power supply to the internal devices.
Storage Device Cable
Cable inside the computer transferring data between the mother board and storage devices.
Clock Rate
Common measurement of CPU speed; tells how fast the CPU can process data.
High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)
Compact video and audio interface transmitting digital data between the high definition monitors and the computer.
Personal Computer (PC)
Computer designed for general use by a single person.
Power Supply
Computer hardware converting alternating current or AC electric power to a low-voltage power for the internal components of the computer.
Touchpad
Computer pointing device which takes advantage of a tactile sensor to detect a user's finger movement.
Driver
Computer program allowing the computer to communicate with a hardware device.
Ethernet Cable
Cord connecting the computer to the Internet.
Digital Video Disc Read-Only Memory (DVD-ROM)
High capacity optical disc storage in which data can only be read, not written.
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Connector
Interface designed to connect computer and peripheral devices, such as printers, mouses, keyboards, USB flash drives and external hard drives.
Motherboard
Main circuit board inside personal computers which holds the majority of computer components and provides connectors for peripherals.
Hard Drive
Main storage device of a computer; commonly referred to as an internal device and used to permanently store data.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Microprocessor which calculates all the data going through a personal computer.
Monitor
Output device which displays graphics and images from the computer.
Hardware
Physical parts of a computer, such as the hard drive, video card, monitor and other substantial computer parts.
Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM)
Pre-pressed compact disc storage in which data can only be accessed, not modified.
External Hard Drive
Removable hard drive located outside of the main computer tower.
Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
Semiconductor light source used in various applications.
Software
Set of computer programs designed to enable computers to accomplish certain tasks; major types of software include programming software, system software and application software.
Binary Digit (Bit)
Smallest unit of computer storage capacity.
Defragmentation
Software maintenance process which reduces the amount of fragmentation between files.
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
Thin, light electronic display which employs the light modulating properties of liquid crystals.
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)
Type of cable inside the computer connecting the mother board and internal storage devices, such as the hard drive, CD-or DVD-ROM.
Read-Only Memory (ROM)
Type of computer memory which stores the Basic Input/output System (BIOS); data stored here cannot be changed.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Type of computer memory, which temporarily stores computer information such as the operating system, application programs and data so they can be immediately accessed by the CPU.
Digital Visual Interface (DVI)
Video and audio interface connecting the monitor and the computer.
