COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER SYSTEM
A system is defined as a set of interacting elements, responding to inputs so as to produce outputs. The computer system also consists of the following elements or components:
All the intangible components of the computer system are known as software. Intangible components mean those components or parts, which we can’t touch physically. In other language, we can say that all those computer applications or programs, which run behind the monitor’s screen, are known as softwares.
Example:
Microsoft-Windows, MS-DOS, Notepad, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Windows Media Player etc.
HARDWARE
All the tangible components of the computer system are known as hardware. Tangible components mean all the physical components of the computer system, which we can touch and can freely move from one place to another.
Example:
CPU (Microprocessor), Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, Printer, Scanner etc.
FIRMWARE
Firmware can be defined as a group of software and hardware. Because in computer system, without hardware components, software have no meaning and without software components, hardware have no meaning i.e. both of these components (software & hardware) are mutually dependent. Both of them must work together in order to make to make computer produce some useful output. This group is called a firmware.
Example:
All the software applications or programs are installed in the hard disk, which is a hardware component.
HUMANWARE
User or an operator, who uses the computer machine, is known as Humanware. Humanware can be a computer professional, a student, a novice user (beginner) or any other person, who operates this machine for completing his / her task.
- Software
- Hardware
- Firmware
- Humanware
All the intangible components of the computer system are known as software. Intangible components mean those components or parts, which we can’t touch physically. In other language, we can say that all those computer applications or programs, which run behind the monitor’s screen, are known as softwares.
Example:
Microsoft-Windows, MS-DOS, Notepad, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Windows Media Player etc.
HARDWARE
All the tangible components of the computer system are known as hardware. Tangible components mean all the physical components of the computer system, which we can touch and can freely move from one place to another.
Example:
CPU (Microprocessor), Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, Printer, Scanner etc.
FIRMWARE
Firmware can be defined as a group of software and hardware. Because in computer system, without hardware components, software have no meaning and without software components, hardware have no meaning i.e. both of these components (software & hardware) are mutually dependent. Both of them must work together in order to make to make computer produce some useful output. This group is called a firmware.
Example:
All the software applications or programs are installed in the hard disk, which is a hardware component.
HUMANWARE
User or an operator, who uses the computer machine, is known as Humanware. Humanware can be a computer professional, a student, a novice user (beginner) or any other person, who operates this machine for completing his / her task.
BLOCK DIAGRAM OF COMPUTER
A typical computer system irrespective of its size, class or type consists of hardware and software, integrated and synchronized together to perform computational work or data processing. Computer Anatomy is concerned with the way the various functional units operate and how they are connected together to form the computer system.
A computer system consists of the following functional units:
A computer system consists of the following functional units:
- Input Unit.
- Memory / Storage Unit.
- CPU (Central Processing Unit )
- Output Unit
INPUT UNIT
As the computer process the data according to the instructions given to it and produces the results. The input unit is used to feed the data as well as instructions to the computer. The commonly used input devices are keyboard, mouse, scanner, joystick etc.
In brief, an input unit performs the following functions:
The basic function of this unit is to store the data, instructions and final results in the system so that it can deliver them on demand to the user or other computer units at a later time. The data and instructions are transferred to other computer units or devices from the main storage under the supervision of control unit. It also referred as the primary storage.
Primary storage
Primary storage is a direct access storage device, consisting of a number of storage locations. Each location in the storage had a unique number, called Storage Address. The system assigns a unique location to each data element. Once the data is assigned to the location, the system accesses it directly by means of the address of the particular storage locations.
The various types of primary storages are:
The data and instructions in primary storage (RAM) are temporary in nature and they are erased automatically as soon as the power is switched off. The secondary storage is used to store the data permanently. The user can access the data from secondary storage whenever required. Some commonly used secondary storage devices that are used to store the data permanently are:
CPU is considered as the “Brain of the computer”. It is also called as microprocessor. It is the fastest and costly unit of the computer system. All major calculations and comparisons are made inside the CPU. CPU converts all the supplied input into required output as per the instructions supplied by the user. The performance and the speed of the computer mainly depend upon the type of microprocessor installed in it.
The CPU further contains two units:
ALU (Arithmetic & Logical Unit)
During data processing, computer process the data according to the instructions applied to it and produce the result or output. The output unit is used to provide the results to the user. The commonly used output devices are monitor or VDU (Visual Display Unit), printer, plotter, speakers etc.
In brief, an output unit performs the following functions:
As the computer process the data according to the instructions given to it and produces the results. The input unit is used to feed the data as well as instructions to the computer. The commonly used input devices are keyboard, mouse, scanner, joystick etc.
In brief, an input unit performs the following functions:
- It accepts or reads the list of data and instructions from the user.
- It converts these data and instructions in computer acceptable form.
- It supplies the converted data and instructions to the computer system for further processing.
The basic function of this unit is to store the data, instructions and final results in the system so that it can deliver them on demand to the user or other computer units at a later time. The data and instructions are transferred to other computer units or devices from the main storage under the supervision of control unit. It also referred as the primary storage.
Primary storage
Primary storage is a direct access storage device, consisting of a number of storage locations. Each location in the storage had a unique number, called Storage Address. The system assigns a unique location to each data element. Once the data is assigned to the location, the system accesses it directly by means of the address of the particular storage locations.
The various types of primary storages are:
- RAM(Random Access Memory)
- ROM (Read Only Memory)
- Cache Memory
- Virtual Memory
The data and instructions in primary storage (RAM) are temporary in nature and they are erased automatically as soon as the power is switched off. The secondary storage is used to store the data permanently. The user can access the data from secondary storage whenever required. Some commonly used secondary storage devices that are used to store the data permanently are:
- Floppy Disk
- Compact Disk
- Hard Disk
- Magnetic Tape etc.
CPU is considered as the “Brain of the computer”. It is also called as microprocessor. It is the fastest and costly unit of the computer system. All major calculations and comparisons are made inside the CPU. CPU converts all the supplied input into required output as per the instructions supplied by the user. The performance and the speed of the computer mainly depend upon the type of microprocessor installed in it.
The CPU further contains two units:
- Control Unit
- ALU (Arithmetic and Logical Unit)
- A Control unit is a major component of the computer which helps in the functioning of the central processing unit and in turn runs the whole computer.
- Control Unit works as a supervisor or monitor in the system. It supervises or controls all the activities of various functional units of the computer.
- It fetches the required instructions from the main memory, interprets them and then sends them to ALU for processing.
- It controls the execution of instructions in a sequential order.
- It works as a central nervous system for the computer. It controls the flow of data to and from the main memory.
- It sends and receives control signals from various peripheral devices.
- It ensures that data reaches the correct place at the correct time.
ALU (Arithmetic & Logical Unit)
- The function of ALU is to perform the actual calculations in the computer. It performs arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication & division) and logical (comparisons or decisions) calculations in the computer.
- Under the control of the control unit, the data and instructions stored in the primary storage are transferred to ALU for processing. ALU performs the calculations and sends intermediate and final results to the main memory i.e. no processing is done in the primary storage unit.
- In some computer processors, the ALU is divided into two distinct parts, the AU and the LU. The AU performs the arithmetic operations and the LU performs the logical operations.
- ALU has internally two temporary registers into which the incoming data from memory is loaded and then operated inside ALU.
During data processing, computer process the data according to the instructions applied to it and produce the result or output. The output unit is used to provide the results to the user. The commonly used output devices are monitor or VDU (Visual Display Unit), printer, plotter, speakers etc.
In brief, an output unit performs the following functions:
- It accepts the results produced by the computer that are in binary form.
- It converts these binary coded results to human acceptable form.
- Finally, it supplies the converted results to the user.
Write by Ditender Singh and
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