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Hardware and Software

Hardware is the physical parts of a computer you can touch, like the keyboard and screen. Software is the programs and apps that tell the hardware what to do.

๐Ÿ’ก Fun fact

You can't touch software, but you can see what it does.

All about Hardware and Software

Hardware is the physical part of a computer that you can touch, such as the keyboard, screen, mouse, processor and memory chips. Software is the set of programs and apps that tell the hardware what to do.

Hardware and software depend on each other. A game is software, but it needs a computer with a graphics chip and enough memory to run. Without software, hardware is just a box of parts; without hardware, software has nowhere to run.

๐ŸŽฎ Try it yourself!

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Real-life uses of Hardware and Software

  • Choosing a computer that has enough power for games or design
  • Installing apps and updates on a tablet
  • Understanding why an old computer runs slowly

Frequently asked questions about Hardware and Software

What is an example of hardware?

A keyboard, monitor, mouse, printer or the internal processor.

What is an example of software?

Apps such as a web browser, a word processor or a game.

What is firmware?

Special software built into hardware, such as the instructions that start a computer or a microwave oven.