Computers work by processing logical information. They do this through the use of digital logic. The logical processing that a computer is designed to perform can be broadly divided into two categories: arithmetic and control. Arithmetic is about working with numbers, for example adding them or multiplying them. Control, on the other hand, involves working with rules, for example telling whether something is true or false. The combination of these two processes forms what is known as logic. How the computer processes logic determines how it works. If you understand how a computer works on an arithmetical level, you will know a great deal more about how computers function than if you only understand how they process control information. That being said, below we’ll explain the different ways that a computer processes logic and the implications of doing so in greater detail.
How a computer works - arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
The first step that a computer takes when it is processing information is to break the logical information down into its numerical components. The ALU is the component that performs this process. Let us say that someone sends a message to a computer. The computer receives the message, breaks it down into its component numbers, and then performs the appropriate mathematical operation on those numbers to produce an answer. For example, if the message is “2 + 3 = 7”, then the computer will break this down into the numerical components “2 + 3 = 5”. It will then perform the addition operation on the numbers and produce “7” as the result.
How a computer works - central processing unit (CPU)
When a computer receives logical information, the next step is to break it down into its numerical components and then process them. The CPU performs this processing. In the example above, the original message was received by the CPU, broken down into numbers, and then the addition operation was performed on those numbers to produce the final answer. This is the basic function of a CPU. A CPU does not exist within a computer in isolation. Instead, the CPU sits at the heart of the computer and connects to other components that make up the rest of the system. These other components are commonly referred to as the “wetware” of the computer, which is a technical term that refers to the physical components of a computer system.
How a computer works - basic input/output system (BIOS)
The first task that a computer performs is to boot up. This is a process that takes a few moments when you turn your computer on and is essential for several other tasks to take place. When the computer starts up, it does so through a process called “booting”. What happens during this process is that the motherboard – the central component that connects all the various components of the computer – sends a series of instructions to a device known as the BIOS. The BIOS is responsible for performing a variety of tasks including determining the hardware configuration of the computer and setting up the hardware components of the system, such as the motherboard and the other components on it. The BIOS is a critical component of the computer, and without it, the system would not boot up.
How a computer works - RAM and ROM
The next step that a computer takes is to load the data that the programs that it runs using into RAM. This can be done in two ways: either through the motherboard’s RAM slots or through a device known as a RAM drive. The motherboard’s RAM slots can only be used to load data into the RAM if the motherboard has the right kind of RAM installed. In contrast, RAM drives can be used to load data into the RAM of almost any computer. RAM drives are the most common way of loading data into RAM. However, they are limited in their capacity: they can hold only a certain amount of data, and if this is exceeded the computer will temporarily store the data in the RAM drive until it has the room to store it. The data that is loaded into RAM is special in that it can be accessed by both the CPU and the motherboard. This means that the data can be processed by both the CPU and the motherboard at the same time.
How a computer works - hard drive and storage media
When the data has been loaded into RAM, the computer performs one final task. It copies the data from RAM to a permanent storage device. The most common storage device used by computers is a hard drive, which is like a large stack of CDs. The computer reads data from the CDs and copies it to the hard drive. A computer’s hard drive is where all your data is saved. There are many different types of hard drives, but they all vary slightly in their purpose. Regardless of the type of hard drive that you use in your computer, you should always back up your data: you never know when something might happen to your computer that leads to its hard drive being destroyed. Hard drives are most commonly used to store large amounts of data, such as huge files and programs. However, they can also be used to store smaller amounts of data, such as documents that you would like to keep forever.
Network interface card (NIC) and operating system
When the computer loads the data from RAM to the hard drive, it also sends the data over to a computer on a network. The computer then receives this data and can access the files that are stored on the computer over the network. The computer that receives the data is referred to as the “client”, and it is connected to the computer that sends the data through the use of a network interface card (NIC). The NIC is the only component that connects the two computers. The operating system is the software that manages all the software and hardware components of a computer. In other words, it is the software that controls how everything works. The operating system is not essential for every computer, although it is essential for most computers.
Conclusion
Computers work by breaking logical information down into numerical components, then processing those components, and finally loading the processed information into a permanent storage device. This process takes place in RAM, which is then loaded onto a hard drive. This information is then accessed through a computer that is connected to the computer that sends the data through a network interface card. The operating system is the software that manages the computer and performs functions such as opening and closing applications and loading data. This process is performed by the CPU. This explanation of how a computer works are intended to give you a greater understanding of how computers function and will greatly help you to understand your computer better.