Parts of the Computer

Housing

The housing is the part of your computer that holds all the parts that make the computer
operate..

Motherboard

The motherboard is the part of your computer that wires all of the other parts
together. It is a printed circuit board and includes the CPU and memory.

Processor (CPU)

The processor, or CPU, of a computer is basically the brains of the computer. The
processor is responsible for interpreting every code it receives from the other computer
components, and making it usable to your operating system.

Hard Drive

The hard drive part of your computer is also called the hard disk. Essentially, it is the part
of the computer that stores your information. If you upload a picture to your computer, it is
stored on the hard drive. Hard drive capacity is measure in megabytes, or MB, though
some massive computer store in terrabytes, or TB. The hard drive is set of disk platters
that sit inside the computer housing. Though other devices may store data, such as
thumb drives, the hard drive is resident in your computer and cannot be removed.

Display Adapter

Whether a graphic card or part of the motherboard, the display adapter is the
component of your computer that interprets video signal. They define how frequently
your monitor refreshes, how many colors the display supports and the maximum
resolutions. Gaming adapters are the most high-end type; they offer 3D graphics and
require significant power and cooling.
 RAM (Memory)

Random Access Memory, or RAM, is the part of your computer that is used as instant
memory. RAM is always in use as a temporary location to execute instructions from your
computer. For example, if you run many programs at once, you may need to upgrade
your RAM because your computer is using more memory. RAM comes in many different
configurations, such as Dynamic RAM, or DRAM, and SRAM, which runs at a higher
speed.

Optical Drive

An optical drive uses light to read and write data. It is the drive you use to burn CDs,
DVDs and Blu-Ray discs. Optical drives can be either slot loading, or tray loading and
come in many different configurations. Optical drives connect directly to the
motherboard of the computer.