Motherboard

=Motherboard=

The motherboard is aptly named since without it, the computer would not function. It is actually a circuit board which provides pathways and connections to the essential components of the computer. It holds the computer’s microprocessor and memory chips. The motherboard is usually located at or near the base of the system unit or tower.



The motherboard connects to four main components of the computer: 1. the central processing unit (see other page for explanation); 2. the northbridge chipset which is connected to the computer’s memory (hard drive and RAM); 3. the southbridge chipset which is connected to peripheral functions such as video and audio components; 4. the BIOS (Basic Input/Output system) chip which performs diagnostic tests on the power supply, the hard drive, the operating system and other parts before the computer boots up each time the power is turned on.

For sources and more information see:

[|Top Bits info on Motherboard]

[|How Stuff Works on Motherboard]

Defined By: Suzanne Mathews
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