| A | B |
|---|
| Motherboard | It is the main printed circuit board that everything plugs into. |
| Memory | The computer's workspace, which is physically a collection of dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips and ROM. |
| Hard Drive | Primary storage device. Stores entire operating system on it. Comes in sizes of gigabytes. |
| Floppy Disk | Backup storage. A reusable magnetic storage medium introduced by IBM in 1971. |
| CD-ROM | A compact disc format used to store programs and data files. |
| RAM | Random Access Memory. Sticks or memory that can be accessed randomly. Unless you save you will lose it when you turn the computer off. |
| ROM | Read Only Memory. (CD/DVD) A memory chip that permanently stores instructions and data. |
| CPU | (Central Processing Unit) The computing part of the computer. Also called the "processor," it is made up of the control unit and ALU. |
| Chip | The engine of your computer. Does most of the processing. |
| Silicon | The base material used in chips. Next to oxygen, it is the most abundant element in nature and is found in a natural state in rocks and sand. |
| Primary Storage | The computer's internal memory, which is typically made up of dynamic RAM chips. This is temporary memory and is lost when the computer is turned off. |
| Secondary Storage | Floppy disk drive. Operates like a hard drive, reading sectors on the floppy. Also, other external storage such as a flash drive. |
| Megabyte (MB) | One million bytes, or more precisely 1,048,576 bytes. |
| Gigabyte (GB) | One billion bytes of data. |
| Byte | The common unit of computer storage from desktop computer to mainframe. It is made up of eight binary digits (bits). |
| Expansion Card | A printed circuit board that plugs into an expansion slot on the motherboard and extends the computer's capability to control a peripheral device. |
| Smart Card | A credit card with a built-in microprocessor and memory used for identification or financial transactions. |
| Zip Disk | A 3.5" removable disk drive from Iomega. The drive is bundled with software that can catalog the disks and lock the files for security. |
| Desktop Computer | A single-user computer of stationary use, whether it resides on the top of the desk or under the desk in a tower. |
| Modem | A device that allows a computer or terminal to transmit data over a standard dial-up telephone line, cable and DSL connections, and the term may also refer to high-speed broadband modems. |
| Operating System | The computer's master control program. The operating system (OS) sets the standards for all application programs that run in the computer. |
| Laptop Computer | A portable computer with an LCD screen that weighs from two to 12 pounds. |
