Computer hardware- includes the physical parts of a computer, such as the central processing

unit (CPU), monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, graphics card, sound
card, speakers and motherboard.
By contrast, software is the set of instructions that can be stored and run by hardware. Hardware is so-termed because it is
"hard" or rigid with respect to changes, whereas software is "soft" because it is easy to change.
Hardware is typically directed by the software to execute any command or instruction. A combination of hardware and
software forms a usable computing system.

Software- Software is a set of instructions, data, or programs used to operate a computer and execute
specific tasks and a program is sequence of instructions written to solve a particular problem.
In simpler terms, software tells a computer how to function. Without software, most computers would be
useless. For example, a web browser is a software application that allows users to access the internet.
Software makes the communication possible in between user and the hardware

There are three types of software

Application
System Main Three Types
of Software Software
Software

Utility

Software

Software and their Relationship between Hardware and user

System Software

System software serves as the interface between the hardware and the end users.
software that actually keeps the systems running it consists of a variety of programs that support the
operation of a computer.
Some examples of system software are :
Operating System, Language Processor etc.
It is a set of programs to perform a variety of system functions as file editing, resource management , I/O
management and storage management.

Application Software

Application software, or app for short, is software that performs specific tasks for an end-user.

Effectively, if the user is interacting directly with a piece of software it is application software. For example,
Microsoft Word or Excel are application software, as are common web browsers such as Firefox or Google
Chrome. It also includes the category of mobile apps, including communication apps such as WhatsApp or
Candy Crush Saga.

Utility Software

Utility software a system software that is designed to help analyze and maintain a computer and enhance the
computer’s performance. It is a program that performs a specific task, which is usually related to managing the
system resources. Some of the functions performed by these utilities are data management of computer
resources and files system, virus detection, and many more. Example : Antivirus , Calendar , clock
Differences between Hardware and Software

Hardware Software

Hardware is further divided into four main Software is further divided into two main
categories: categories:

 Input Devices  Application Software

 Output Devices  System Software
 Secondary Storage Devices
 Internal Components

Developed using electronic and other materials Developed writing using instructions using a
programming language

When damaged, it can be replaced with a new When damaged it can be installed once more
component using a backup copy

Hardware is physical in nature and hence one The software cannot be physically touched but
can touch and see hardware still can be used and seen

Hardware cannot be infected by Viruses The software can be infected by Viruses

Hardware will physically wear out over time Software does not wear out but it can be affected
by bugs and glitches

An example of Hardware is hard drives, monitors, An example of software is Windows 10, Adobe
CPU, scanners, printers etc. Photoshop, Google Chrome etc.

Memory
A memory is just like a human brain. It is used to store data and instructions. Computer memory is the storage space in the c omputer, where
data is to be processed and instructions required for processing are stored.

Memory is primarily of three types −

 Cache Memory
 Primary Memory/Main Memory
 Secondary Memory

Cache Memory
Cache memory can speed up the CPU. It acts as a buffer between the CPU and the main memory. It is used to hold those parts of data and
program which are most frequently used by the CPU. The parts of data and programs are transferred from the disk to cache memory by the
operating system, from where the CPU can access them.
1. Primary Memory (Main Memory)
Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on which the computer is currently working. It has a limited capacity and data is lost
when power is switched off. It is divided into two subcategories RAM and ROM.
A. RAM (Random Access Memory) is the internal memory of the CPU for storing data, program, and program result. It is a read/write
memory which stores data until the machine is working. As soon as the machine is switched off, data is erased.
B. ROM stands for Read Only Memory. The memory from which we can only read but cannot write on it. This type of memory is
non-volatile. The information is stored permanently in such memories during manufacture.
2. Secondary Memory
This type of memory is also known as external memory or non-volatile. It is slower than the main memory. These are used for storing
data/information permanently. For example, disk, CD-ROM, DVD, etc.
 i. Bit A bit is a value of either a 1 or 0 (on or off).
ii. Nibble A Nibble is 4 bits.
iii. Byte Byte is 8 bits. 1 character, e.g. "a", is one byte.
=
1024 bytes 1 KB

=
1024 KB 1 MB

=
1024 MB 1 GB

=
1024 GB 1 TB

=
1024 TB 1 PB

=
KB Kilobyte

=
MB Megabyte

=
GB Gigabyte

=
TB Terabyte

=
PB Petabyte

EB = Exabyte