Help! How is Phyics used in a Computer?

[RbSX]

I know this is a stupid question but I have to discuss 'How a PC works' for a Physics 11 assignment and I have to discuss some of the underlying physics involved in the use of a PC. I know about fibre optics blah blah, but I'm looking from the practical case of some stupid joe blow who doesn't know crap all about computers, fibre optics just doesn't seem right to present to them. So what are some other things?

 

[gopunk]

well it uses electricity... there are motors involved in cdroms and hard drives spin a lot...

 

[chiwawa626]

Uses tons of circuits which was the part of physics i hated most.

 

[Heisenberg]

One word: semiconductors. Everything a computer does (actually all electronics) are based upon the properties of semiconductors.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
One word: semiconductors. Everything a computer does (actually all electronics) are based upon the properties of semiconductors.

Heisenberg- I dunno, I am uncertain about you.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
One word: semiconductors. Everything a computer does (actually all electronics) are based upon the properties of semiconductors.

Yeah I've had plenty of ideas, I just don't have the resources to find any background information on the physics involved with semi conductors.. ideas?

 

[Cheesemoo]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/category.htm?cat=PC

 

[Heisenberg]

Start here.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

I'll tell you how physics is used in a computer. Porn. Figure it out yourself.

 

[cressida]

doping.

 

[ElFenix]

hard drives use electro-magnetic force to manupulate tiny areas of iron oxide.

 

[MajesticMoose]

just think about what happens if you drop your computer off of a cliff, or more realistically dropping a laptop of a desk.

 

[DanFungus]

Originally posted by: Jellomancer
I'll tell you how physics is used in a computer. Porn. Figure it out yourself.

LOL!

 

[eakers]

do a search, some kid posted his paper on that exact topic earlier today.

or was that you?

 

[Moonbeam]

The Computational Physics Group has lots of programs that will let you use physics in a computer. You just plug in the numbers.

 

[Keego]

voltage... semiconductors... LCD!!


Definatley talk about LCD's they rock.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: eakers
do a search, some kid posted his paper on that exact topic earlier today.

or was that you?

I love being called 'some kid'

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
One word: semiconductors. Everything a computer does (actually all electronics) are based upon the properties of semiconductors.

Yeah I've had plenty of ideas, I just don't have the resources to find any background information on the physics involved with semi conductors.. ideas?

Explain how a transistor works. Then vaguely segue to the fact that millions of transistors make a computer.

 

[white]

there are many parts of a computer that could be discussed. you could talk about the physics of semiconductor devices such as your cpu. you could talk about the reflection of electromagnetic waves when reading a CD-ROM. you could talk about heat conduction when cooling your cpu and video card. you could talk about signals on a motherboard. if you can discuss a monitor (since many people think their monitor is their pc) you could talk about the vacuum tube that is your monitor and how the electric field exerts a force on the electron beam to hit different spots on your screen. then talk about the phosphors that emit light. if you choose to do the physics of semiconductor devices, how bout a google for semiconductor physics? topics you could use are energy band structures, doping, the concept of holes, etc.

 

[Omegachi]

everything in your computer deals with physics. from capacitors, to resistors, and from your monitor, to the computer case. everything. just like everything in this world uses physics.