The motherboard seves to connect all of the parts of a computer together, the cpu, memory, hard drives, optical drives, video card, sound cards and other ports and expansion cards.
The motherboard can be thought of as the “backbone’ of the computer.
** other names for the motherboard are:mainboard, mobo (abbreviation), MB (abbrievation), system board and finally logic board.
Detailed Example Of A MotherBoard
L2 Cache
Is extremely ast comnputer memory and is often built into the CPU or located next to it on a separate chp. L2 cache holds move info than L1 cache. The size of L2 cache can range from 64KB to 4MB. L2 is slower than L1 cache though it holds more.
CPU
Known as the Central Processing Unit. It is responisible for interpreting and executing most of the command from the computer’s hard and software. The CPU AKA “The Brain” of the coputer.
Example of a CPU
RAM
Random Access Memory and is a form of computer data storage. Its mainly used to access certain types of stored data faster
Examples of RAM
Keyboard Connector
Is a device at the end of a cable that is used to attach the keyboard to the motherboard.
Older models of keyboard connectors are the 5-pin DIN connector which is sometimes called the “AT”style for the older IBM models and the 6-pin mini-DIN a “PS/2” style connector.
Example of a 5-pin DIN connectorExample of a 6-pin mini-DIN connector
***DIN=connectors
Battery
Is there to preserve the computer’s time and BIOS settings while the computer is turned off. Some motherboards only need the battery in case of a power outage. The motherboard will draw the needed electricity from the electrical outlet to power the clock. These motherboards save their BIOS information to EEPROM.
***EEPROM stands for Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory***
Example of a Battery found on a motherboard
Bus
A bus is a subsystem that transfers data between components inside a computer or between computers. Early computer busers were parallel electrical wires with multiple connection ( parallel electrical bus). In modern computers buses can use both parallel and bit serial connections and can be wired in either a multidrop (electrical parallel) or daisy chain topology or connected by switched hubs as in the case of USB.
***Internal Bus AKA internal Data bus, memory bus or system bus or front-side bus connects all the internal components of a computer such as a CPU and memory to the motherboard. Internal data buses are also referred to as a local bus because they intended to connect to local devices. This bus is typically rather quick and is independent of the rest of the computer operations.
***External Bus AKA expansion