2.2 the functions of each fundamental computer hardware component

Identify the functions of each fundamental computer hardware component

Motherboard

Now, the first thing is the motherboard. It's the basis of your computer. It's the first component installed in the system unit, and it holds all of the circuitry that ties the functions of the computer components together.
You can think of it like your car (which has many computer systems of its own). If you have a frame and tires, you've got a car (or you've got a system unit), but it won't take you very far! Now, add your engine - the motherboard - where all the systems tie in one way or another, and you've got the start of a working vehicle.

Central Processing Unit

The motherboard and circuitry need to have power. There is a power box included with your system unit, and you'll see a cord coming out of the back of your computer for that. The central processing unit, or the brains of the computer, sits on the motherboard and does actually have its own cooling fan. The processors now are so fast they need to be cooled down. All the instructions you give the computer - like a click of a mouse - go through the CPU, which processes in billions of cycles per second. Commonly installed processors have quad-cores, or four separate processors in one component. There are six-core and eight-core available, and the more advanced the technology the higher the cost. That's one of the choices you might need to make.

Memory, Cache, RAM, ROM

Next to the CPU sits the cache, or the temporary memory where things you are working on sit for quick interpretation by the CPU. The RAM chip is also near this location. Random-access memory is volatile, or temporary, memory. Whenever you turn on a program, its instructions are stored in RAM while the machine is on. Once you shut the machine down, both the cache and the RAM are completely cleared out. RAM storage is common at eight, ten or twelve gigabytes.

Network Connections
A part of the system unit most of us take for granted these days is the wireless local area network card, or the WLAN card. This is the card you actually don't see signs of from the outside of your unit, but it is what lets us connect to our wireless internet.