What is the term for the physical part of a computer system that includes the monitor keyboard and mouse?

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Answer

Hint:Physical parts of a computer are the parts of the computer that we can touch physically. More precisely speaking, every object that has some mass and without which the computer can’t function properly is known as the physical part of the computer.

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Note: Some students might have some misconception about the software and OS used to operate a computer. They think that when we install some OS or software from an external source (say pen-drive or CD) then we actually transfer some object (with mass). But this concept is completely wrong. Any electronic data or information is not something that has some mass. It just tells RAM or the motherboard what its binary state will be or gives some instruction in binary form to perform some task.

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The Print Screen, Scroll Lock, and Pause/Break keys are at the top-right corner of the keyboard. The Print Screen key takes a picture of your screen (called a screenshot) that you can edit or save using a graphics program. Scroll Lock and Pause/Break are rarely used today, so some keyboards don't have them.

The Escape (Esc) key allows you to stop a function or action. For example, if a webpage is taking a long time to load, you can press the Escape key to stop loading it.

The function keys are labeled F1 through F12. Some programs use these keys as shortcuts for common tasks. For example, in many programs, F1 opens the Help file.

The Tab key is used to create indents in word processing programs. Also, if you are filling out a form online, you can use the Tab key to switch to the next field.

The main part of the keyboard includes the alphanumeric keys (letters and numbers) and the spacebar.

The Control (Ctrl), Alternate (Alt), and Shift keys are designed to work in combination with other keys. Typically, you hold down Ctrl, Alt, or Shift and then type another key to perform a specific task. For example, in many programs, typing Ctrl+S will save a file.

The arrow keys are used for many different purposes, including moving the cursor, scrolling a document, and controlling a game.

The numeric keypad resembles a calculator keypad. Many users find that it is easier to type numbers using this keypad. On some keyboards, these keys double as arrow keys.

The Backspace key (also known as the delete key) erases the character to the left of the cursor.

The Enter key (also known as the return key) executes commands. For example, while on the Internet, you can type a website address and then press Enter to go to the site. It is also used to start a new line in word processing programs.

These move the cursor to the beginning or end of the current line.

Insert: This switches between insert mode (which inserts new text without deleting anything) and overtype mode (which deletes text after the cursor as you type).

Delete: This erases the character to the right of the cursor.

These scroll a document or webpage up or down.

Let's start with the computer case. This is the metal enclosure that contains many of the other hardware components. It comes in various shapes and sizes, but a typical tower model is between 15-25 inches high. Want to know what's inside? Okay, go get a screwdriver and let's open it up. Seriously, if you are really into computers, the best way to learn is to actually get hands-on. To save us some time, however, have a look at this desktop computer case. A computer enthusiast replaced the metal side panel with a transparent one, so we can have a look inside.

Although that photo looks pretty cool, it is a bit hard to recognize the individual components, especially with all the connecting wires running through it. This figure shows a more schematic version of a desktop computer, which makes it easier to point out the essential hardware components.

The computer case contains a power supply unit (#6) to convert general-purpose electricity to direct current for the other components. The most critical component is the motherboard (#2), a plastic board on which several essential components are mounted. This includes the central processing unit, or CPU, (#3), the main memory (#4), and expansions slots (#5) for other hardware components. The internal hard disk drive (#8) serves as the mass storage device for data files and software applications. An optical disk drive (#7) makes it possible to read from and write CDs and DVDs. Other hardware components typically found inside the computer case (but not shown in the figure) are a sound card, a video card, and a cooling mechanism, such as a fan.

A computer system also needs input devices, such as a keyboard (#9) and a mouse (#10). To interact with a user, a computer system also needs a display device, such as a monitor (#1).