Final answer:
The motherboard is the circuit board containing central electronic components such as the CPU, RAM, and GPU, and it features a microchip which allows for complex circuitry in a compact space.
Step-by-step explanation:
The central electronic components of a computer are housed on a circuit board known as the motherboard. It is the backbone that connects the microprocessor, or CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and other peripherals. A motherboard contains a microchip, which is an integrated circuit made up of transistors on a small piece of silicon. This microchip allows for sophisticated electronic circuitry to be compacted into a small space, making modern computing devices much smaller and more powerful than earlier generations.
Microchips are pivotal for devices like computers and cell phones, as they perform the necessary functions to process and store data. The materials used to build these processor components can include silicon, common metals like copper, tin, gold, and even uncommon elements such as yttrium and gadolinium. Through microelectronics, the design and construction of electronic systems are made possible within compact components, bringing forth the era of the personal computer.