This seems like a stupid question, but really do you know?
For the modern age a computer is an electronic device that stores, retrieves and processes data and images.
Computers usually consist of the following components:
Central Processing Unit (CPU): a box that contains the sub units such as hard drives, motherboard(system board), memory, Processor/s Power Supply unit(PSU) video card (if separate) and other components.
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse
Printer
Other components may also be part of a Computer "System".
Many times people confuse the "processor" and the "CPU" they are not the same thing. A Processor is inside of the CPU. The CPU is an assembly of parts one of which is the processor.
A processor will do you no good without some other necessary components. RAM or Random Access Memory. basically this is where the processor sends and retrieves its data from. RAM needs electricity or it loses the information it has stored. So next you need a Storage device, usually a Hard Disk Drive. The Hard Drive is a magnetic storage medium that can store data for very long periods of time. Once you have stored it to the Hard Drive it can be there for as long as ten years without ever being refreshed. The "System Board" ties it all together The processor and RAM mount to the boardand the Hard Disk Drive has a cable that plugs into this board. There can be other things that plug into or are part of the board such as Video and sound boards or chipsets. Remember all of these are usually inside the CPU or otherwise known as the Computer case.
