Hardware and Software Overview

These flashcards cover essential definitions and concepts related to hardware and software, their components, and types, as well as emerging technologies.

Hardware

The physical components of a computer system.

Internal Hardware Devices

Components inside the computer such as the CPU, motherboard, RAM, and hard drives.

External Hardware Devices

Peripheral devices such as monitors, keyboards, mice, and printers that connect to the computer.

Software

Programs that control the operation of a computer or process electronic data.

Application Software

Software designed for users to complete specific tasks like word processing, spreadsheets, and graphics editing.

System Software

Software designed to provide a platform for other software to run and manage hardware components.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The 'brain' of the computer that carries out calculations and processes instructions.

Motherboard

The main circuit board that connects all components of the computer system.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Volatile memory used to temporarily hold data that the CPU is processing.

Read-Only Memory (ROM)

Non-volatile memory that holds data permanently, such as boot instructions for the computer.

Input Devices

Hardware used to enter data into a computer, like keyboards and mice.

Output Devices

Hardware that outputs data from a computer, like monitors and printers.

Backing Storage

Non-volatile storage used for long-term data retention, such as hard drives.

Operating System

System software that manages hardware and software resources and provides services for computer programs.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A user interface that includes graphical elements like windows, icons, and menus.

Command Line Interface (CLI)

A user interface that requires users to type commands to interact with the computer.

Biometrics

Authentication methods that use unique physical characteristics for identification.

Virtual Reality

An artificial environment created with software that simulates physical presence in real or imagined worlds.