rticle View print view Computer III. HOW COMPUTERS WORK The physical computer and its components are known as hardware. Computer hardware includes the memory that stores data and instructions; the central processing unit (CPU) that carries out instructions; the bus that connects the various computer components; the input devices, such as a keyboard or mouse, that allow the user to communicate with the computer; and the output devices, such as printers and video display monitors, …showed first 75 words of 658 total…

…showed last 75 words of 658 total…and CD-ROMs (compact discs), which can store up to 630 megabytes of information. A single CD-ROM can store nearly as much information as 700 floppy disks can. C. The Bus The bus is usually a flat cable with numerous parallel wires. The bus enables the components in a computer, such as the CPU and memory, to communicate. Typically, several bits at a time are sent along the bus. For example, a 16-bit bus, with 16 parallel ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**