Computer Hardware-is the physical components of the computer, Refers to the tangible (things you can
touch) components of a computer system.
Hardware components are further divided into three groups.
1. Input Devices
2. Output Devices
3. System Unit
INPUT DEVICE
An input device lets you communicate with a computer. You can use input devices to enter information
and issue commands
1. Keyboard- Is a standard input device of most computers. Used to type data into the computer.
2. Mouse- is a hand-clicked device used for pointing and moving objects
3. Joystick- is an input device which is commonly used for computer games
4. Track ball- basically an upside-down mouse
5. Light pen- a device used to draw, write, or issue commands when it touches a specially designed
screen
6. Scanner- A scanner allows you to scan documents, pictures, or graphics and view them on the
computer.
7. Microphone- Used to input sound into a computer
OUTPUT DEVICE
An output device displays information on a screen, creates printed copies or generates sound.
1. Printer- an output device that produces text and graphics on paper
2. Monitor- The monitor is used to provide soft copy output.
3. Multimedia projector- is a type of video projector for displaying video, images or computer data
on a screen or other flat surface
4. Speaker- Play sounds transmitted as electrical signals from the sound card.
SYSTEM UNIT
The system unit is the part of the computer which is responsible for accepting and processing the data
brought in by the input devices
1. Motherboard- The motherboard is the main circuit board of a microcomputer. It is also known
as the mainboard or system board
2. IDE (Integrated Device Electronics) IDE stands for Integrated Device Electronics. is a standard
electronic interface used between a computer motherboard and the computer's disk storage
devices
3. Hard-disk drive- is a storage device that store billons of characters of data on a nonremovable
disk
4. CPU (central processing unit) The central processing unit carries out each instruction of the
program in sequence, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of
the system
5. Power supply- it supplies power from the power supply to the drive. The power cables are red,
yellow and black. The yellow wire furnishes 12 volts of power, the red wire furnishes 5 volts of
power, the two black wire are ground wire for each.
6. Memory- The memory in a computer system is of two fundamental types: The
main/primary memory and the secondary memory.
7. Floppy disk drive- Used to stores and retrieves information on a floppy disk.
8. CD/DVD drive- is a device that reads information stored on a compact disc, it is a storage device
that use laser technology to read data from optical disks.
9. Video card- is a board that is plugged into a computer to give it display capabilities.
10. Sound card- enhances the computers sound generating capabilities by allowing sound to be
output through speakers.
11. Modem- A modem is a device that sends and receives data over telephone lines to and from
computers.
