Hello! I have always wondered what happens when a key on a keyboard is actually pressed. I mean when I press a specific key lets say 'A' what happens at the back end that the screen displays the alphabet A. I mean since we all know that communication in computers is digital (binary), so what is the actual procedure which shows the result of the key which is pressed?
What happens when a keyboard is used?
Hi Dennis,
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Below each key, there is a small hole which is actually at the top of a long circular bar. When a key is pressed, the bar pushes the hole which makes contact with the circuit layers underneath. Springing factor is provided by a small piece of rubber which pushes the key back after it moves down. On the press of a key, a switch is pushed down, completing the circuit which induces a tiny flow of current. Th processor analyses the pressed key's position and transmits the data to the computer and in turn to the Keyboard controller. This gets directed to the OS finally.
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Regards,
Anyet
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What happens when a keyboard is used?
Scan Code is an electrical signal send by the keyboard to the computer when a specific key is pressed.
This scan code is interpreted by keyboard controller and determines that the specific key is pressed and stores that alphabet in the memory and sends the interrupt signal to the processor.
When the processor receives the signal, adds the pressed key to the file where you are working.
The letter is displayed on the screen by the operating system which is called by the window.