What term refers to the physical components of a computer?

The term that refers to the physical components of a computer is hardware. Hardware encompasses all the tangible parts of a computer system, including the central processing unit (CPU), memory, storage devices, and peripheral devices like keyboards and monitors. It is the essential building block of a computer system, which facilitates the execution of software and the processing of data. Software, on the other hand, consists of the programs and applications that run on a computer and direct the hardware to perform specific tasks. Firmware refers to a type of software that provides low-level control for a device’s hardware, often embedded directly into hardware components. Data refers to the information processed or stored by the hardware and software, but it does not encompass the physical elements of the system. Thus, hardware is the correct term for the physical components of a computer.