Computer Organization Lesson

What are the
main parts of a
computer?

Two Main Categories

Computers parts divided into

1. Hardware

■ Physical components

2. Software

■ Programs that run on the computer

Several Sub-Categories

Output Devices

How your computer

tells you things.

Output Devices

● Allows your computer to

● Display information
● Give audio signals
● Transform digital information into physical

information

Output Devices That Display

● Monitors

● Video Card

● Projector

Monitor

Projector

Output Devices for Audio

● Speakers

● Sound Card

● Headphones

Output Devices for Digital to
Physical Conversion

● Laser or Inkjet printer

● 3D printer

3D Printer

Input Devices

How you give

information to your

computer.

Input Devices

● Allow you to

○ Interact with the computer

○ Turn physical data into digital data

Interactive Input Devices

● Touchpad or Trackpad
● Mouse
● Keyboard
● Joystick
● Remote
● Touchscreen

Digitizing Input Devices

● Scanner
● Microphone
● Digital Cameras
● Webcams
● Sensors

Airplane cockpit. Airplane sensors gather
information like altitude and direction. The dials are
output devices, but they get information the input
devices -- the sensors!

Storage
Devices

How your computer

remembers
information

Storage Devices

● Computer’s memory

○ Allows computer to store information to retrieve later
○ Allows users to save data

● Two Categories

○ Primary storage
○ Secondary storage

Primary Storage

● Memory the computer uses to perform its

normal activity

● Memory is cleared when power is turned off
● Called RAM

○ Random Access Memory
○ More info later

Secondary Storage

● Extra memory used for persistent storage
● Examples

○ CD
○ USB drive
○ Hard drive
○ Floppy disk
○ Cloud storage

Floppy Disk

Network
Devices

How your computer
communicates with
other computers.

Networks

● Computers usually don’t

directly communicate

● Sends data to a central

location, which then
passes on the
information

Router: Center of the Network

● Router

○ Receives and analyzes data from computer
○ Routes information to where it’s supposed to go
○ Can also receive and analyze data sent from other

networks

Router

Local Area Networks

● LAN for short
● Connects computers close to each other

○ e.g. In the same building

● Can usually be connected with a single router

Wide Area Networks

● WAN for short
● Connects

computers far away
from each other

● Needs multiple

routers and special
cables

LAN vs WAN

● A WAN is usually made up of several LANs

The three computers on the left make up a
single LAN. The LAN is part of the larger
WAN, which connects several LANs[1]

Network Devices

● Router

○ Receives and analyzes data sent from other networks

● Ethernet port

○ Allows an ethernet cable to be attached
○ Ethernet is one way to physically connect to a

network

● Wireless Internet Card (WIFI Card)

○ Allows a computer to connect to the internet

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