Lesson 1: Computer Hardware
Week of Mon, Sep 14 · lesson closes Sun, Sep 20
Take Meerk's quiz for Lesson 1
This lesson's items
Exact due times are in Canvas.
Watch — Professor Messer
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Know these cold
- The CPU executes instructions measured in GHz and core count; cooled by a heatsink and thermal paste.
- RAM is volatile and holds active programs; NVMe SSDs provide persistent, fast storage via PCIe.
- PSUs supply regulated DC voltages; ESD wrist straps protect components during installation.
- USB4 delivers up to 40 Gbps; HDMI and DisplayPort carry digital video — HDMI includes audio.
Meerk's quiz — open the Lesson 1 gate
10 questions, no time limit. 85% on your first attempt in a 24-hour window opens the gate. Retakes inside the window are practice — they help you learn, they don't count. Work alone; the point is to know it, not to have seen it.
Dinner Table Question
Ask at home: If you had to build a computer for gaming vs. one for an office worker, what parts would be different?
En español: Si tuvieras que construir una computadora para juegos vs. una para un trabajador de oficina, ¿qué partes serían diferentes?