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Hardware and Software

Classify computer components as hardware or software.

~16 min Computer Studies / ICT

0 of 3 completed

A computer needs both physical parts and programs to work.

In this lesson you will:

Define hardware and software.
Name internal and external hardware.
Distinguish system software from application software.

Hardware

Hardware is the physical equipment you can touch:

Input devices — keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone.
Processing — CPU (central processing unit).
Output devices — monitor, printer, speaker.
Storage — hard disk, flash drive, memory card.

Software

Software is the set of instructions that tells hardware what to do. System software includes the operating system and utilities. Application software performs user tasks: word processors, browsers, games and spreadsheets.

They Need Each Other

Hardware without software is like a car without fuel. Software without hardware has nowhere to run.

Classify these

A printer — hardware (output).

Microsoft Word — application software.

Windows — system software.

A flash drive — hardware (storage).

Tip Firmware sits between hardware and software: it is software stored permanently on a device, such as the BIOS.

Practice

Define hardware and software.
Classify: monitor, web browser, CPU, operating system.
Give one example each of system and application software.

Recap

Hardware is physical; software is instruction. System software runs the machine and application software does user tasks.

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Course contents

Computer Fundamentals

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