Motherboard

A motherboard, also known as a main circuit board, is the main printed circuit board (PCB) located inside of a computer. The motherboard holds, allocates power to, and facilitates communication between the various electronic components of a computer. Components of the motherboard typically include the CPU (central processing unit), memory, storage interface, the basic input and output system (BIOS), chipsets, cooling fans, peripheral connector slots, backup battery, power connector, connectors for peripheral devices, and other necessary electrical hardware components. The base of a motherboard is made up of a firm sheet of non-conductive material, with thin layers of copper or aluminum foil (referred to as traces) printed on top of it. The traces form circuits between the various components of the motherboard. The motherboard also contains a large number of sockets and slots that allow users to connect external devices such as speakers, headphones, mouses, microphones, and other USB devices.