Class Guide: CIT 100 Session 1 - Computer Components

For the week starting 4 September 2017

Session Overview

Our goal is to understand the way computer components work togeter to create a computer system. A system is characterized by component parts that interact in some way in a coordinated fashion to get something done.

Learning Objectives

  1. Explain the fundmental technologies driving our computer technology: transistors, integrated circuits, binary storage, and component communication
  2. Identify core computer components
  3. Compare the features of various computer components and discuss what changes have occured over the course of the development of various computer technologies.

Activity 1: Essential computer components

We'll explore how each of these works as we locate the actual hardware

  1. Power Supply - Direct Current, 3-5 volts
  2. Motherboard
    3. - the home for all the computer components
  3. Central Processing Unit (CPU) - or "the processor"
  4. Random Access Memory (RAM) - Volatile (disappears without power)
  5. Non-volatile storage devices (Hard Drive, CD-ROMs, etc.)
  6. Expansion Cards and Slots (Video cards, network interface cards, etc.)
  7. Data Input devices (CD-ROM, Floppy drives)
  8. And the rest are Peripherals (speakers, expanded port components)

Practice and Extensions

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