What term refers to the physical components of a computer system?

The term that refers to the physical components of a computer system is hardware. Hardware encompasses all the tangible elements of a computer, including the central processing unit (CPU), memory, storage devices, motherboard, power supply, and all peripheral devices such as keyboards, mice, and printers. These components are essential for the computer to function and perform tasks, as they provide the necessary infrastructure for software to operate.

In contrast, software refers to the instructions and programs that tell the hardware how to perform specific tasks, while firmware is a type of software that is embedded into hardware to control it at a low level. Middleware is software that connects different software applications or services, allowing them to communicate and share data. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for comprehending how computers and their components work together.