The processing unit is the system contained in the computer. It consists of hardware and software. What are these two things?
Hardware is the components in a computer such as motherboard…hard disk.The picture below shows the hardware contained in a CPU.
The software is programs that is installed in a computer. You may also call it as applications. The examples are like Google Chrome and and even the iOS.
The picture below shows how does the computer system works.
So, we must be wondering on how does this system works. In short, the system is controlled by the System Unit. What is the System Unit?
System unit contains of 6 main components which are:
- Processor
- Memory
- Storage
- Expansion Slot & Adapter Card
- Ports & Connectors
- Buses
1.Processor
It is something that you could called as the ‘brain’ of a computer. It controls all the actions carried out by the computer.It consists of Control Unit (CU), Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU), Machine Cycle and Clock Speed.
CU is the one who directs the operations of the input to become output.
ALU tell which operations to perform for input data. Then the information will be transferred to the memory.
The machine cycle is a 4 process cycle that includes reading and interpreting the machine language, executing the code and then storing that code.
Four steps of Machine cycle:
1.Fetch – Retrieve an instruction from the memory.
2.Decode – Translate the retrieved instruction into a series of computer commands.
3.Execute – Execute the computer commands.
4.Store – Send and write the results back in memory.
Clock speed is the speed that the microprocessor executes each instruction or each vibration of the clock. The unit used to measure this speed is the GHz.
2.Memory
Just as its name, it is a memory. Meaning it is used to store information. There are 4 types of memory:
- RAM
- ROM
- Flash Memory
- Cache Memory
Random-access Memory (RAM) is a hardware device that allows information to be stored and retrieved on a computer. If the computer is turned off, all data contained in RAM is lost as it requires power supply to be used.
Read-only Memory (ROM) is a storage medium that is used with computers and other electronic devices. As the name indicates, data stored in ROM may only be read. ROM is commonly used for firmware updates.
Flash Memory is a an integrated circuit that does not need continuous power to retain the data. We can see the example of this memory which is Micro SD cards.
Cache Memory is an available option through the Preferences under History and cache that allows a user to save documents and images to their RAM.
3.Storage
It is a place where we stores the information and data. Also known Hard Disk Drive (HDD).
4.Expansion Slots & Adapter Cards
Expansion slot is a socket that hold adapter cards. Adapter Cards is used to enhance the functions of a component or provide connections to peripheral devices such as mouse and keyboard.
5.Ports & Connectors
Port is a point at which peripheral attaches to or communicate with system unit. So that the peripheral can send and receives information from computer. Example of ports are like USB and HDMI.
6.Buses
Bus also known as the address bus, data bus, or local bus. It is a data connection between two or more devices connected to the computer.
ict world generation 