Hardware: Refers to the physical components of a computer system.
These components can be internal or external
Internal Components
Central Processing Unit (CPU):
the computer's "brain" that performs calculations, processes instructions, and
controls other components
Processor: a chip inside the CPU that carries out instructions from a program
Motherboard: the main circuit board that connects all internal components
Internal Memory
Random Access Memory (RAM):
temporary storage for running programs and data; it is volatile, meaning data is
lost when the computer is turned off
Read-Only Memory (ROM):
permanent storage for essential data, like the computer's BIOS; it is non-volatile,
meaning data is retained even when the computer is turned off
Hardware Components
1) Graphics card: processes images and videos for display on a monitor
2) Sound card: processes audio for output through speakers or headphones
3) Network Interface Card (NIC): enables connection to a network, such as the
internet
4) Camera: captures images or video for input into the computer
5) Internal/external storage devices: stores data permanently, such as hard
drives or USB flash drives
6) Input devices: allow users to enter data, like keyboards and mice
7) Output devices: display or produce results, like monitors and printers
Software
Software refers to programs that control the operation of a computer or the
processing of electronic data
Application software provides the services that users require to solve a task
E.g.:
o Word processing: creating and editing text documents
o Spreadsheet: organizing and analyzing data in a grid format
o Database management systems: storing, retrieving and managing data in
databases
o Control/measurement: uses sensors to measure and control a system
o Applets and apps: specialized software for specific tasks
o Video editing: creating and modifying video files
o Graphics editing: creating and modifying images
o Audio editing: creating and modifying sound files
o Computer Aided Design (CAD): designing and modelling objects in 2D or
3D
System software provides the services that the computer requires to operate
e.g.
o Compilers: translating high-level programming languages into machine
code
o Linkers: combining object files into a single executable program
o Device drivers: controlling hardware components and peripherals
o Operating systems: managing the computer's resources and providing a
user interface
o Utilities: tools for maintaining and optimizing the computer's performance
Operating Systems
An Operating System has a user interface to allow the user to interact with the
computer. There are different types of user interfaces:
Command Line Interface (CLI)
o Text-based interface
o Users type commands to perform tasks
o Requires knowledge of command syntax
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
o Visual-based interface with icons, windows, and menus
o Users interact with the system using a mouse and keyboard
o Easier for beginners to learn and use
Dialogue-based interface
o Users communicate with the system through text or voice
o The system responds with appropriate actions or feedback
Gesture-based interface
o Users interact with the system through physical gestures
o Requires a camera or sensor to detect movements
Differences between types of interface
CLI has a steeper learning curve compared to GUI
GUI is more resource-intensive than CLI
Dialogue-based and gesture-based interfaces enable more natural and intuitive
interaction
Analogue & Digital Data
Analogue data is continuous and varies smoothly over time
Digital data is discrete and represented in binary form (0s and 1s)
Differences between Analogue & Digital Data
Analogue data can have any value within a range, while digital data has a limited
set of values
Digital data is less prone to noise and distortion compared to analogue data
Digital data can be easily manipulated, stored, and transmitted by computers
Converting Analogue to Digital Data
Analogue data must be converted to digital data so it can be processed by a computer
This process is called analogue-to-digital conversion (ADC) and is performed
by an analogue-to-digital converter
Converting Digital to Analogue Data
Digital data must be converted to analogue data so it can be used to control
devices
This process is called digital-to-analogue conversion (DAC) and is performed
by a digital-to-analogue converter
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the computer's "brain" responsible for
processing instructions entered into the computer
The CPU processes instructions and performs calculations in order to produce
an output
CPU Functions
Fetches instructions from memory
Decodes the instructions to determine the required operation
Executes the operation
Stores the result back in memory or sends it to an output device
CPU Components
The CPU is made up of 3 main components:
o Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
o Control Unit (CU)
o Registers
Memory
Memory is used to store data and instructions temporarily for the computer to process
Differences between ROM and RAM
ROM is non-volatile, while RAM is volatile
ROM is read-only, while RAM is read-write
ROM stores essential instructions, while RAM stores data and instructions
currently in use
