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Hardware Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Central proccessing unit (CPU) | the chip located inside the system unit of computer that perfoms the processing for a computer |
| GHz | speed of a processor counted by billions of ticks per second |
| MHz | speed of a processor counted by millions of ticks per second |
| Motherboard | The main circuit board of a computer to which all computer system components connect. |
| System Unit | Thje container that holds the motherboard and keeps components safe |
| Bios | Lowest level software in the computer that acts as an interface between the hardware of the operating system |
| Rom | Contain permanetly written data called firmware that loads the operating system when first powered on |
| Cache | between the processor and system memory. Faster than RAM |
| Hard disk drive | A storage system consisting of one or more metal magnetic disks permanently sealed with an access mechanism inside its drive. |
| Mb, Megabyte | storage measurments in millions of bytes |
| GB, Gigabyte | storage measurments in billions of bytes |
| TB, Terabyte | storage measurments in trillions of bytes |
| Random access memory (RAM) | Provides a high speed, temporary location for the computer to hold data and programe instructions |
| Bit | The smallest unit of computing, consists of either a 0 or 1 (on or off) |
| Byte | 8 bits makes 1 byte |
| Video Graphic Adapter | Enables the connection of a monitor and may provide additional graphics capabilities |
| Network Interface Card | Enables a PC to connect to a network |
| Optical Drive | Adds read and write capabilities to your computer for portability |
| Monitor | A display device that projects images onto a display screen |
| 3D printer | A 3D printer is a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) device that creates three-dimensional objects |
| AGP | a type of expansion slot designed specifically for graphics cards |
| Bare metal | a computer that does not include any software. |