What is the difference between hardware and software?

Hardware and software are two fundamental components of modern computer systems. While hardware refers to the physical components of a computer, such as the motherboard, processor, and memory, software refers to the programs and applications that run on the computer.

Hardware is tangible, meaning it can be seen, touched, and physically manipulated. It includes all the physical components of a computer system that you can physically interact with. On the other hand, software is intangible, meaning it cannot be seen or touched. It is the non-physical programs, data, and instructions that tell the hardware what to do.

The hardware and software work together to perform different tasks on a computer. The hardware provides the physical framework for the software to run, while the software provides the instructions that tell the hardware what to do. Without software, hardware is useless, and without hardware, software cannot function.

Some common examples of hardware include the CPU, RAM, hard drive, keyboard, and mouse, while examples of software include operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux, and applications like Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, and Google Chrome.