Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Motherboard
A motherboard, also known as main board, logic board or system board, is the central or primary circuit board making up a complex electronic system, such as a computer.
A typical computer is built with the microprocessor, main memory, and other basic components on the motherboard. Other components of the computer such as external storage, control circuits for video display and sound, and peripheral devices are typically attached to the motherboard via connectors or cables of some sort.
There is more information about IBM-compatible personal computers in PC motherboard.
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Mainboards
Most electrical devices have a board where logical processing begins when the device is powered on. In general, this would be identified as the mainboard. Usually, only devices where substantial, varied, and complex calculations occur have their mainboards referred to as motherboards. Computers, game consoles, and PDAs will usually be associated with the term motherboard, while TVs, home theater receivers, and home appliances normally will not.
Components of computer motherboards
Universal
Most motherboards have either these core components or some alternative for providing their functionality.
- CPU socket (designed to hold a CPU)
- RAM slots
Expansion slots
The number and type of expansion slots are determined by the motherboard manufacturer subject to limitations of the core logic chipset . Common slot types include:
Historic systems also used a variety of other expansion buses:
Optional peripheral interfaces
These components are entirely optional, although market economics has made some of them ubiquitous in modern computers.
See also
External links
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