Electronics Online Challenge 2021 Mater Academy Charter High School

Team: Liontech-11476B Kyomi Escalona, 10th grade

Device presented in challenge- MacBook Air (13-Inch, 2017)

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Table of Contents

Final Summary Report ........................................................................................................... 3

List of Internal Components Found in Device .......................................................................... 5

Component Photos ................................................................................................................ 6

Bibliography ........................................................................................................................ 11

About the Author! ............................................................................................................... 12

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Final Summary Report The device I chose to base this challenge on, is a 2017 13-inch MacBook Air. I chose this

device because I had previously experienced an issue with it due to water damage. The laptop

would not turn on and we came to the conclusion that the Logic board (CPU) of the laptop had

been severely damaged. We decided that this was the perfect opportunity to take a deeper look

into technology and explore the components inside of this water damaged MacBook Air.

After consulting our club mentor and getting his approval of this device and challenge, I

finally took apart the MacBook. Unfortunately, there were no TI components inside the device.

The components consisted of a battery, a mother board (or CPU) which is called a logic board in

Apple devices, a fan, an input and output board, a keyboard, a track pad, and two speakers. The

battery of the device is what gives the laptop the power storage and supply it needs to function

properly without a power cord (Computer Hope, 2020). The logic board, also called a mother

board, is the central processing unit of the computer. It controls the peripheral devices of the

laptop including the keyboard, the touch pad, and all the hard drives. The Logic Board can be

expanded through external hard drives (PCMAG, n.d.). The laptops cooling fan protects and

prevents the device from experiencing component overheating. This fan is vital to keep a laptop

at an operating temperature, the fan is connected to the central processing unit which is one of

the main components prone to producing heat (Hughes, n.d.). The Keyboard is the primary device

used to enter letters, numbers, symbols, and shortcuts, into the monitor. For example, certain

buttons on the keyboard can control the brightness, volume and power of the device. The track

pad is what controls the cursor on the LCD screen of the monitor. It also controls the left and

right click. When the computer user right clicks on the screen or on highlighted text, they are

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given different options and functions, such as copy, paste, share, etc. it also allows you to scroll

up and down a screen or website. The Input-Output board is located near the logic board. This

contains the USB port that allows hard drives to be connected to the device, auxiliary port which

can be used to connect ear buds or an external speaker and charging port that transfers power

from an outlet into the port and then to the battery, where it is stored, and logic board where it

is given power to allow the laptop to function. (CONTEC, n.d.). There are two internal speakers

located in the computer, these control the input and output microphones and speakers in the

laptop.

Taking apart this device allowed me to connect the similarities that VEX components have

with everyday technology. For example, I learned how computer components are all connected

and need each other in order to function, just how a robot needs different motors and sensors

as well as a battery to function.

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List of Internal Components Found in Device • Internal cooling fan (1)

• Battery (1)

• Logic Board/ Mother board (1)

• Input-Output Board (1)

• Keyboard (1)

• Trackpad (1)

• Internal Speakers (2)

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Component Photos Parts Function Amount

A fan is needed to keep a device from overheating by bringing in cool air from outside the device and expelling hot air created inside.

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This is the laptops battery; a battery is the hardware component that supplies power to the device.

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This is the computers Logic board, or mother board. This is the computers main circuit board containing the CPU, main system memory, and circuitry.

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This is called an I/O board. Controls the aux, charger and USB. Connects to the Logic Board for power using cable shown.

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This is the Keyboard, the primary device used to enter characters such as letters, numbers and symbols, into the computer system.

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The trackpad is what moves the cursor on the LCD screen of the laptop.

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This shows the left and right speakers that include input

and output microphones.

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Bibliography Computer Hope. (2020, July 07). Battery. Retrieved from www.computerhope.com:

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/b/battery.htm CONTEC. (n.d.). Digital I/o Basic Knowledge. Retrieved from www.contec.com:

https://www.contec.com/support/basic-knowledge/daq-control/digital-io/ Hughes, A. (n.d.). Techwalla. Retrieved from Techwalla:

https://www.techwalla.com/articles/what-is-the-fan-function-in-a-computer PCMAG. (n.d.). www.pcmag.com. Retrieved from Motherboard:

https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/motherboard

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About the Author!

My name is Kyomi Escalona, I am a sophomore at Mater Academy Charter High School. This is my third year taking part in the robotics program and I have enjoyed every second of it! Being in robotics has given me so many opportunities to express myself and meet new people. In a time of darkness like most of 2020 has been, robotics really sheds light and happiness that I am extremely grateful for.