What is a hardware?

Hardware is the physical part of a computer, that is, everything that can be touched. This includes the keyboard, the network cards, the mouse, the DVD, the hard disk, the printers, etc. A computer is electronic equipment that processes large amounts of information in a very short time. For this, it requires some instructions (the software) that are made by some devices or equipment (the hardware).
We have then that the hardware of a computer fulfills the following functions: data input, processing, storage, and output.

Hardware components

There are various components according to the activity they carry out in the hardware. These are the motherboard, the cabinet, the CPU or central processing unit, main memory unit,


Motherboard

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The motherboard connects different parts of the hardware.

The motherboard or motherboard controls and connects all the elements of the computer. It is made of fiberglass, a material that supports heat. In it are the slots or slots through which the controller cards, the memory chips, the processor, among others, are connected.

Cabinet

It is the structure that supports and protects the core team. It can be horizontal, half tower or tower.

Input or output units

They are those parts that allow connecting the central equipment with the peripherals. Between them we have:

Slots or expansion slots.
Controller cards: video, sound, network cards.
Ports: parallel port, USB port, infrared.
Buses.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Also known as a microprocessor, it is the brain of the computer. The best-known processor models are Pentium, Celeron, Athlon, and Sempron.

The speed at which a microprocessor works is measured in frequency or cycles per second. Thus, one megahertz (MHz) is equal to 1 million cycles per second and one gigahertz (GHz) is equal to one billion cycles per second.

Inside the microprocessors there is a special memory that accelerates the access of the data, facilitating its operation. This is the cache memory.

RAM is random access memory, this means that the processor can reach any data without having to go through the previous data. It is a temporary storage area that allows programs to execute their functions. The more RAM a computer has, the more programs can run at the same time.

ROM memory, meanwhile, is a read-only memory that is configured on the motherboard and brings the information to start the computer when we turn it on. This memory cannot be altered.

Memory capacity is measured in gigabytes (GB), which means one billion bytes. A byte is the information storage unit made up of 8 binary digits or bits.

Input devices

It includes all the equipment necessary to enter the information into the computer. We can mention the keyboard, the mouse and the game controls.

Output devices

The results of the processes carried out by the central processing unit are sent to the output devices. These are the monitor, the printer, the speakers, and the Chartplotter.

Main memory unit

There are two types of memory: RAM memory and ROM memory.

Storage devices

Information and data are stored on these devices. There are several types, of which we can mention the following.

HDD

The hard drive is a magnetic storage device made up of cymbals or discs that rotate thanks to an electric motor. The speed at which the motor rotates is measured by revolutions per minute or rpm. Current discs have speeds between 4,000 rpm to 15,000 rpm.

Above each cymbal is a mechanical arm with a magnetic head that can write and read the information in each region of the disc. The cymbals on the hard drive rotate as the arm with the magnetic heads reads and writes the information on each plate.

Optical Discs

The information on the optical discs is read and recorded using laser beams, for which they require a reading unit. We know them better by their initials: CD (compact disc) and DVD (digital versatile disc) and they came to replace the old floppy disks.

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External memory:

It is known as flash memory or USB memory, and more familiarly as a flash drive. It connects to the USB port of the computer and serves to record and read information. It is also very practical to use and carry.

Input and output devices

They can transmit or receive information, for example:

Modem: is the equipment used to connect computers, and with which you have access to the internet.

Multifunctional equipment: includes a printer, scanner, and photocopier.

Optical disc recorder unit: with it CDs or DVDs are read (input) and written (output).

Basic hardware parts

Computer hardware consists of four main parts: input, memory, processor, and output.

Input hardware or input

The input devices allow the data to be collected, as the eyes and ears receive information from the world around us. Through the keyboard, we can enter data and information, and with the mouse we select the icons and menus of the different programs.

Memory

The memory contains information in sections, like books in a library. Programs and data are stored in it. It is also known as RAM (stands for random access memory) which means that you can access any part randomly.

The memory circuits or "chips" are engraved on fiberglass material.

Processor

The processor works like the human brain: it examines and alters data, loads and carries out program instructions, and searches programs in memory to run them.

It is made up of two parts: the control unit and the logical arithmetic unit. The control unit is the one that looks for the programs in the memory and executes their instructions. For its part, the logical arithmetic unit searches the memory for the necessary data and performs the calculations that the programs need.

In the processor, there are very small and complex circuits mounted on a fiberglass sheet. There are also transistors, which are either switches or switches. Circuits and transistors work in sync, like musicians in an orchestra conducted by a conductor.

The hardware of output or output

The output devices show the results that the processor got. For example, the monitor or screen displays visual information, the speakers transform the data into sound, and the printers present the data on paper.

Hardware classification

The hardware is divided into central equipment and peripheral equipment.

Core Team

Corresponds to the motherboard and is made up of the input or output units, the central processing unit, and the main memory unit.

Peripheral Equipment

They are all the devices connected to the central equipment that allows communication with the outside. Depending on the function, there are three types of devices:

Input devices: keyboard, mouse or mouse, microphone, digital camera.

Output devices: monitor, printer.

Storage devices: hard disk, CD, DVD, memory cards, removable drives.

We have to make special mention of some devices that serve both input and output, such as the modem, which are widely used to access the internet.