What Is a Motherboard?

A motherboard is the primary circuit board connecting all the necessary pieces for your computer to operate as a system. It resides inside the computer with different connections specific to each item, allowing them to operate and communicate with each other. You may have ports for other types of hardware, such as memory cards or connections to the computer’s CPU or central processing unit. Some of the connected components—often called daughter boards—may have individual pre- or post-processing CPUs to alleviate strain on the motherboard.

Components of a motherboard

The motherboard acts as a central hub connecting a computer’s functional components so they can interact. Some parts are required, while others are additional options you can use to personalise your computer, depending on your needs.

Take a look at a few examples of the parts you can connect to the motherboard:

CPU

The central processing unit is the computer’s brain, telling it what to do. It takes your input and sends instructions to components on the motherboard to tell them what to do next. The CPU operates with a computer chip, and the unit has its own socket on a computer’s motherboard that connects it directly to the board.

BIOS

A basic input/output system (BIOS) works with the CPU and uses it to get your computer up and running. BIOS can also load your operating system, manage data flow, and enhance the interface between hardware and the operating system. 

RAM

The motherboard has space for random access memory or RAM, and you can add or change out pieces of memory in those RAM slots if you need to expand your memory. RAM allows you to store data to quickly access it, making your system run more efficiently to do tasks. It’s only a temporary warehouse for data, but it can help you easily open programs and perform operations, depending on how much of it you have.

Sound cards and video cards

These cards attach to the motherboard to help with different sound and video functions depending on what you need when using your computer.

Hard drives

Hard drives store data and information you can retrieve for your computing tasks. Two popular options include a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). An HDD uses a moving head and spinning disks for data access, while SSDs access data using memory chips.

Cooling fan

All the components connected to the motherboard generate heat as they use electricity for different functions. To keep everything cool and prevent pieces from burning out, a cooling fan is connected to the motherboard to eliminate that excess heat.

Power source

The motherboard keeps everything running by connecting to an external power source. Like other components, the power source must be compatible with your specific motherboard to work properly.

Related topics

• Computer hardware

• IT jobs

• CPU

• BIOS

Get started in IT with Coursera.

A motherboard is the main circuit board inside a computer that connects all the essential components, allowing them to communicate and function together. Essential components include the CPU, RAM, and storage drives, while optional components like sound cards and video cards can be attached, depending on your needs.

Understanding motherboards and how they operate if you plan to go into IT or a related field is essential. Consider learning more with the Google IT Support Professional Certificate on Coursera. This Professional Certificate helps you develop the skills you need to pursue an IT support position, including maintaining and repairing motherboards, troubleshooting issues, and performing other day-to-day support tasks.