How does a computer navigate time?

Question

PHP

How does the computer determine that a certain period of time has passed?

Answer 1

Depends on whether it's on or off.
When off, the time "ticks" in the Real Time Clock chip. It can be either a separate chip or part of a chipset or SoC.
When enabled -- depends on the operating system and its configuration. linux sets up hardware timers that generate interrupts and in the interrupt handler adds to the current time as much as the timer was last set. In addition, there are network services that give the current time using the Nrtwork Time Protocol, operating systems can periodically synchronize with these services.
During power-up, the OS reads the current time value from the RTC, and by a special command it can write the current time back to the RTC.

Answer 2

You apparently haven't changed the battery on the motherboard yet... There is such a thing as RTC, which are now integrated into the south bridge of the motherboard.

Answer 3

In the BIOS, the time is configured, on the motherboard there is a "clock" that works regardless of the computer. They are battery powered.
If you remove the battery, the clock will reset.