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| System Unit | The main body of a computer, consisting of a plastic or metal enclosure, the motherboard, and (typically) internal disk drives, or power supply, cooling fans, and whatever circuit boards plugged into the motherboard, such as a video card. The system unit is occasionally referred to as the CPU, though this really means central processing unit |
| CPU | Central processing unit. The “brains” of the computer. The CPU is housed on a tiny silicon chip that contains millions of switches and pathways that help your computer interpret and s execute instructions. This is where the mathematical calculations and logical comparisons are done |
| Circuits | (a) A closed path followed or capable of being followed by an electric current. (b) A configuration of electrically or electro magnetically connected components or devises |
| Silicon chip | a small crystal of silicon semiconductor fabricated to carry out a number of electronic functions in an integrated circuit |
| MHz | Millions of cycles per second, a unit used to measure clock speed in computers. |
| Pentium | the name given to Intel’s P5 chip, the successor to the 80486. The name was chosen because of difficulties Intel had in trade marking a number. It suggests the number five (implying 586) while (according to Intel) conveying a meaning of strength “like titanium”. Among hackers, the plural is frequently “pentia” |
| RAM | Random Access Memory. It is the main memory and stores data and programs while the computer is running. When the computer is turned off anything in main memory disappears. Computer can read from and write to this memory |
| ROM | Read Only Memory. A computer chip that stores specific instructions to manage the computer’s operation. Unlike main memory, this type of memory is non-volatile—the instructions remain permanently on the chip and cannot be changed |
| Bit | a fundamental unit of information having just two possible values, either 0 or 1 |
| Byte | a sequence of adjacent bits, usually eight, operated on as a unit by a computer |
| Kilobyte | A unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,024 (210). One thousand bytes |
| Megabyte | a unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,048,576 (220) bytes |
| Gigabyte | a unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,024 megabytes (230 bytes) |
| Terabyte | a unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,024 gigabytes (240 bytes) |
| Storage devices | a hardware device, such as a hard disk or floppy disk, used to record and store data |
| Magnetic storage | storage device where data is saved (before disks). Much like a reel to reel. |
| Optical Storage | Use of laser technology to read and write data on silver platters. |
| Laser | High quality and faster. Uses the same technology as copier machines |
| Hard Disk | a rigid magnetic disk mounted permanently in a drive unit |
| Floppy Disk | a small plastic magnetic disk enclosed in a stiff envelope with a radial slit; used to store data or programs for a microcomputer “floppy disks are noted for their relatively slow speed and small capacity and low price” |
| Write-protected | to modify (a file or disk) so that its data cannot be edited or erased |
| Format | Prepares a disk for use on a specific type of drive by imprinting the disk with the information it needs to work in that particular kind of drive. Also the ability to control the appearance and layout of data in a file. |
| Zip Disk | Magnetic disk storage device that has more capacity that floppy disk |
| Digital Audio tape | a format for storing music on magnetic tape |
| CD-ROM | a compact disk that functions as read-only memory |
| CD-RW | compact disk-rewritable |
| DVD-ROM | digital video disk, better capabilities |
| Input devices | Any device used to input data into the computer (keyboard, mouse, scanner, etc) |
| Output Devices | device used when reading/looking at output—printer, screen |
| Resolution | amount of pixels on the screen. More pixels the better resolution |
| Pixels | the basic unit of the composition of an image on a television screen, computer monitor, or similar display |
| Peripheral devices | devices connected by cable to the CPU of a computer; “disk drives and printers are important peripherals |
