UNIVERSIDADE LÚRIO

FACULDADE DE ENGENHARIA

COMPUTER ENGINEERING

HARDWARE
 UNIVERSIDADE LÚRIO
FACULDADE DE ENGENHARIA

COMPUTER ENGINEERING

HARDWARE

Students Teacher

Augusto Orlando António Omar Arlindo Domingos Simão Nihawe

PEMBA,SEPTEMBER,2023
Index
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 5
DEFINITION ......................................................................................................................... 6
Internal Hardware components ............................................................................................... 6
Motherboard ........................................................................................................................... 7
Central Processing Unit (CPU) .............................................................................................. 8
The Components of CPU........................................................................................................ 9
RAM ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Cooling ................................................................................................................................. 11
Graphic ................................................................................................................................. 11
External Hardware Components (Peripheral Components ................................................... 11
Input ...................................................................................................................................... 12
Output ................................................................................................................................... 14
Hard ...................................................................................................................................... 16
Importance ............................................................................................................................ 18
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 19
Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 20
Figures Index
Figure 1 system Unit ........................................................................................................................... 6
Figure 2 motherboard ......................................................................................................................... 7
Figure 3 motherboard-Legend ............................................................................................................ 8
Figure 4 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ........................................................................................... 9
Figure 5 RAM.................................................................................................................................... 10
Figure 6 Coolingsystem .................................................................................................................... 11
Figure 7 a mouse ............................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 8 A keyboard.......................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 9 scanner ............................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 10 Touchpad .......................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 11 USB flash .......................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 12 A monitor .......................................................................................................................... 15
Figure 13 Printer .............................................................................................................................. 15
Figure 14 Projector........................................................................................................................... 16
Figure 15 Speaker ............................................................................................................................. 16
Figure 16 Internal drive .................................................................................................................... 17
Figure 17 external drive.................................................................................................................... 17
Figure 18 input/output ...................................................................................................................... 18
 Introduction

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 stores
the results for future use. In other words, a computer can generally be defined as an electronic device
that does computation and makes logical decisions according to instructions and data that have been
given to it.

A computer contains many electric, electronic and mechanical components known as hardware.
These components include input devices, output devices, a system unit, storage devices, and
communications devices. And also the invisible parts that control the workability of the computer
system. Hardware is the physical components of the computer system which you can touch. They are
interconnected with cables of various shapes and sizes to facilitate data flow. An example of a piece
of hardware is the system unit i.e. the box which houses the central processing unit (CPU) others are
printer, scanner, speaker, mouse, keyboard etc.

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 HARDWARE
A computer contains many electric, electronic and mechanical components known as hardware.
These components include input devices, output devices, a system unit, storage devices, and
communications devices.

DEFINITION
Hardware is the physical components of the computer system which you can touch. They are
interconnected with cables of various shapes and sizes to facilitate data flow. An example of a piece
of hardware is the system unit i.e. the box which houses the central processing unit (CPU) others are
printer, scanner, speaker, mouse, keyboard etc.

Computer hardware is divided into two main categories: the system unit and peripherals.

The system unit contains the electronic components used to process and temporarily store data and
instructions. These components include the central processing unit, primary memory, and the system
board. The circuitry of the system unit usually is part of or is connected to a circuit board called the
motherboard. The system unit is the main enclosure or case of computer that houses the internal
hardware components. The system unit provides physical protection for these components.

Figure 1 system Unit

Internal Hardware components

Internal components of hardware refer to the physical parts inside a system unit.

 Motherboard
 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

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  RAM Memory (Random Access Memory)
 Storage Drives
 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
 Power Supply Unit (PSU)
 Sound Processing Card
 Cooling System

Motherboard

Motherboard is the main circuit board inside a computer that connects all the hardware components
together, such as the CPU, RAM, storage devices, and more. It Provides the necessary interfaces and
communication pathways for these components to work together, making it a crucial part of any
computer system.

Figure 2 motherboard

The motherboard acts as a central hub for data transfer between these components. It has pathways
and controllers to manage data flow between the CPU, RAM, Storage, and other connected devices.
The motherboard distributes Power to all the connected components, ensuring they receive the
appropriate voltage and current.
The motherboard is the central nervous system of a computer, facilitating communication and
coordinating between all its hardware components, ultimately enabling the computer to function as a
cohesive system.

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 Figure 3 motherboard-Legend

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The brain of any computer system is the CPU. It controls the functioning of the other units and
process the data. The CPU is sometimes called the processor, or in the personal computer field called
“microprocessor”. It is a single integrated circuit that contains all the electronics needed to execute
a program. The processor calculates (add, multiplies and so on), performs logical operations
(compares numbers and make decisions), and controls the transfer of data among devices.

CPUs come in different form factors, each style requiring a particular slot or socket on the
motherboard. Common CPU manufacturers include Intel and AMD.
The CPU socket or slot is the connection between the motherboard and the processor

The CPU executes a program, which is a sequence of stored instructions. Each model of processor
has an instruction set, which it executes. The CPU executes the program by processing each piece
of data as directed by the program and the instruction set. While the CPU is executing one step of
the program, the remaining instructions and the data are stored nearby in a special memory called
cache

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 Figure 4 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The Components of CPU

A typical CPU has three major components:

1. Register Set.

2. Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU).

3. Control Unit (CU).

1. The Register Set differs from one computer architecture to another. CPU registers perform a
variety of functions, a primary one of which is to offer temporary storage for the CPU to access

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information stored on the hard drive. Every CPU register has a distinct function and the registers are
essential components of CPU commonly recognized for memory allocation purposes.

2. Arithmetic and logic unit (ALU)

ALU can also be subdivided into two sections namely, arithmetic unit and logic unit. It is a complex
digital circuit which consists of registers and which performs arithmetic and logical operations.
Arithmetic sections perform arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
etc. All other Complex operations can also be performed by repetition of these above basic operations.
The logic unit is responsible for performing logical operations such as comparing, selecting, matching
and merging of different data or information.
So basically ALU is the major part of the computer system which handles different calculations.
Depending on the design of ALU it makes the CPU more powerful and efficient.

3. Control unit
It is the unit which controls all the operations of the different units but does not carry out any actual
data processing operation. Control unit transfers data or instruction among different units of a
computer system. It receives the instructions from the memory, interprets them and sends the
operation to various units as instructed.
Control unit is also responsible for communicating with all input and output devices for transferring
or receiving the instruction from the storage units. So, the control unit is the main coordinator since
it sends signals and find the sequence of instructions to be executed.

RAM Memory (Random Access Memory)

RAM is the temporary storage for data and programs that are being accessed by the CPU. RAM is
volatile memory, which means that the contents are erased when the computer is powered off. The
more RAM in a computer, the more capacity the computer has to hold and process large programs
and files. More RAM also enhances system performance. The maximum amount of RAM that can be
installed is limited by the motherboard.

Figure 5 RAM

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 Cooling system

Cooling systems are passive or active systems that are designed to regulate and dissipate the heat
generated by a computer so as to maintain optimal performance and protect the computer from
damage that will occur from overheating.
The flow of current between the electronic components generates heat. Computer components
perform better when kept cool. If the heat is not removed, the computer may run slower. If too much
heat builds up, computer components can be damaged.

Figure 6 Cooling system

Graphic Processing Unit

A graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is an extension of the CPU, it enhances the graphical quality of
items being displayed on a monitor through reading graphics software (such as drives) established
on the computer.
Graphics Processing Units are chip-based devices and they serve exclusively as the source of
graphic rendering if connected to the motherboard.

External Hardware Components (Peripheral Components)

External hardware components are those items that are often externally connected to the computer t
control either input or output functions. These hardware devices are designed to either provide
instructions to the software (input) or render results from its execution (output).

 Monitor

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  Printer
 Mouse
 Speaker
 Headphones
 Keyboard
 Microphone
 Camera
 Touchpad
 USB flash drive
 Gaming control
 External Hard Drive
 Data Projector

Input hardware components

Input devices are hardware components or peripherals that allow users to provide data and
instructions to a computer. These devices enable users to interact with and control the computer by
entering various types of data.

 Mouse- a mouse is a hand-held pointing device that moves a cursor around a computer
screen and enables interaction with objects on the screen. It may be wired or wireless.
A mouse is an input device that allows the user to interact with visual objects displayed on
the monitor.

Figure 7 a mouse

 Keyboard- a keyboard is an input device featuring a standard that enables users to input
text, number or special characters.

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 a keyboard is an input device on which the user can type to communicate with the
computer.

Figure 8 A keyboard

 Scanner- A scanner is a light-sensing input device that converts printed text and graphics
into a digital form that can be further processed by the computer
Scanner is an input device that can convert the contents of a paper document into a digital
image that can be stored in the computer.

Figure 9 scanner

 Touchpad- a touchpad is an input device, built into a laptop, used to control the pointer on a
display screen.

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 Figure 10 Touchpad

 USB flash drive- is an external, removable storage device that uses flash memory and
interface with a computer through a USB port.

Figure 11 USB flash

Output Hardware Components

Output devices are pieces of computer hardware that receive data from a computer and then translates
that data into visual, textual or hard copy such as a printer document.

 Monitor- a monitor displays data from a computer onto a screen so the user can interact with
the data via digital interface. A monitor is an output device that displays information visually.
Generally, monitors are output devices where the computer visually displays information.

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 Figure 12 A monitor

 Printer- the function of a printer is to create a copy of whatever is sent from the computer to
the printer. Printers take electronic data sent from a computer and generate a hard copy.
Printer is an output device that can transfer digital data onto paper.

Figure 13 Printer

 Projector- a projector is an output device that projects computer images or video onto a wall
or screen.

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 Figure 14 Projector
 Speaker- speaker are hardware device that transform the signal from the computer´s sound
card into audio. Speakers create sound using internal amplifiers that vibrate at different
frequencies according to data from the computer.

Figure 15 Speaker

Hard drives

Internal hard Drive- an internal hard drive is a data storage device that is installed inside a computer.
It is commonly used to store the operating system, software applications, and user data, such as
documents, photos, videos, and more. (HDDs, SSDs).

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 Figure 16 Internal drive

External Hard Drive- an external hard drive is a portable storage device that connects to a computer.
These drives are designed to provide additional storage capacity.

Figure 17 external drive

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 Figure 18 input/output

Importance of hardware

Computer hardware serves as the physical components of a computer system. These components are
essential for the computer to function, and they provide the necessary computing power, storage,
input/output capabilities, and user interface for various tasks and applications.

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 Conclusion

A computer contains many electric, electronic and mechanical components known as hardware.
These components include input devices, output devices, a system unit, storage devices, and
communications devices. Hardware is the physical components of the computer system which you
can touch. The system unit is the main enclosure or case of computer that houses the internal hardware
components. The system unit provides physical protection for these components. The flow of current
between the electronic components generates heat. Computer components perform better when kept
cool. If the heat is not removed, the computer may run slower. If too much heat builds up, computer
components can be damaged. Computer hardware serves as the physical components of a computer
system. These components are essential for the computer to function, and they provide the necessary
computing power, storage, input/output capabilities, and user interface for various tasks and
applications.

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 Bibliography Reference

Abel, P. IBM PC Assembly Language and Programming, 5th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall,
2001.
Adobe Systems, Inc., Staff. PDF Reference, 6th ed., Version 7.1 2006.
Aken, B.R., Jr., “Large Systems and Enterprise System Architecture,” IBM Systems Journal, Vol.28,
no.1 (1989).

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