An expansion slot is a socket on themotherboard that can hold an adaptercard

An adapter card enhances functions of acomponent of the system unit and/orprovides connections to peripherals

With Plug and Play, the computerautomatically can configure adapter cardsand other peripherals as you install them

Removable flash memory includes

A port is the point at which a peripheralattaches to or communicates with a systemunit (sometimes referred to as a jack)

A connector joins a cable to a port

A USB port can connect up to 127different peripherals together with a singleconnector

Other types of ports include

The processor, also called thecentral processing unit (CPU)

The control unit is the component of theprocessor that directs and coordinates mostof the operations in the computer

The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performsarithmetic, comparison, and other operations

The processor contains registers,that temporarily hold data andinstructions

The system clock controls thetiming of all computeroperations

A processor chip generates heatthat could cause the chip to burn up

Require additional cooling

Memory consists of electronic components that storeinstructions waiting to be executed by the processor, dataneeded by those instructions, and the results of processingthe data

Stores three basic categoriesof items

Each location in memory hasan address

Memory size is measured in kilobytes (KB orK), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), orterabytes (TB)

The system unit contains twotypes of memory

Readonly memory (ROM) refers to memorychips storing permanent data andinstructions

Memory cache speeds the processes of thecomputer because it stores frequently usedinstructions and data

A PROM (programmable readonly memory)chip is a blank ROM chip that can be writtento permanently

Access time is the amount of time ittakes the processor to read frommemory

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A bus allows the various devices both insideand attached to the system unit tocommunicate with each other

Word size is the number of bits theprocessor can interpret and execute at agiven time

Expansion slots connect toexpansion buses

Common types of expansionbuses include