Board (computer)

Board (computer), in computer science, a broad term, generally used for the flat circuit board used to hold chips and other electronic components and printed conductive paths between the components. These are the typical computer boards used in all personal computers. The computer's main board, with the microprocessor on it, is called the motherboard. Other boards, which expand the functionality of the main system, are called cards or adapters. Boards can offer connections to monitors, floppy disks, and hard disks; additional memory; serial and parallel ports; and network connections, to name only a few of their possible functions. See also Adapter; Card; Printed Circuit Board.