← Years 5–6 Digital Systems

Hardware

The physical parts of a digital system that you can touch, such as a keyboard, screen or CPU. Hardware needs software to tell it what to do.

Part of: 5-6 Digital Technologies Vic Curric - Digital Systems & Security — Module 2, 7-8 Digital Technologies Vic Curric - Digital Systems and Security — Module 1, IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 4.1 Types of Software and Interrupts — Module 1, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Inside Digital Systems — Module 2, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Hardware and Performance — Module 1

Understanding Hardware in Years 5–6 Digital Systems

What it does: The CPU, RAM and motherboard are all hardware found inside the computer. A digital system needs both the physical parts and the programs that instruct them. You can pick up and touch a keyboard, so it is hardware. A web browser is software. Hardware needs software to give it instructions. Without software, the parts would not know what to do. External hardware is hardware you can see and connect on the outside of the device. The broken statement mixes up hardware with software, so it matches the mistake about programs and apps. The keyboard is an example of external hardware, not internal, so this statement is wrong.

Common mistakes: The loop goes through the hardware list, so each item is physical hardware, not software. The message should say "is hardware". The text hardware needs quotation marks to be a string. Without them Python looks for a variable called hardware. It should be keyboard = "hardware".

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 1–10) and word search (Modules 1–20).

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Learning

Duo

Which describes hardware?

The programs and instructions that run on a deviceThe physical parts of a digital system that you can touch

Matches

Hardware is the programs and apps you cannot touch

↓

This describes software, not hardware. Hardware is the physical parts you can touch.

Applying

Meanings

Term

hardware

Meaning

The physical parts of a digital system that you can touch, such as a keyboard, screen or CPU. Hardware needs software to tell it what to do.

Practice

Hardware = the physical parts you can touch

Testing

Gaps

= ["keyboard", "screen", "CPU"]

Check Answer

Spots

3for item in hardware:

4 print(item, "is software")

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Quick Questions

1. Which describes hardware?

A. The physical parts of a digital system that you can touch ✓

B. The programs and instructions that run on a device

Hardware is the physical part of a digital system. Programs and instructions are software.

2. Which of these is an example of hardware?

A. A web browser

B. A keyboard ✓

You can pick up and touch a keyboard, so it is hardware. A web browser is software.

3. Which one is internal hardware (inside the device)?

A. CPU ✓

B. Mouse

The CPU sits inside the computer case. A mouse is plugged in or connected on the outside, so it is external hardware.

4. Which one is external hardware (outside the device)?

A. RAM

B. Monitor ✓

A monitor sits outside the computer and connects to it. RAM is installed inside, so it is internal hardware.

5. True or false: A computer's hardware can do useful work without any software.

A. False - hardware needs software to tell it what to do ✓

B. True - hardware works fine by itself

Hardware needs software to give it instructions. Without software, the parts would not know what to do.

Match the Pairs

hardware → The physical parts of a digital system that you can touch, like a keyboard, screen or CPU

external hardware → Physical parts outside the computer case that you plug in, such as a mouse, monitor or printer

Internal hardware sits inside the computer case and you usually cannot see it → CPU, RAM, motherboard

Hardware cannot work without software telling it what to do → hardware + software = working system

Hardware is the programs and apps you cannot touch → This describes software, not hardware. Hardware is the physical parts you can touch.

A keyboard is internal hardware inside the case → A keyboard is external hardware because it is outside the computer and plugs in.

Key Term

hardware

The physical parts of a digital system that you can touch, such as a keyboard, screen or CPU. Hardware needs software to tell it what to do.

Fill in the Blanks

1. hardware = ["keyboard", "screen", "CPU"]

Hint: Type the variable name for the physical parts you can touch.

2. internal = ["CPU", "RAM", "motherboard"]

Hint: Type the variable name for hardware found inside the computer case.

3. external = ["mouse", "printer", "speaker"]

Hint: Type the variable name for hardware that sits outside the computer case and plugs in.

4. hardware = "screen" software = "driver" print(hardware, "needs", software)

Hint: Type the variable name for the instructions that tell hardware what to do.

5. hardwareIsPhysical = True softwareIsPhysical = False

Hint: Type the Boolean value that shows hardware is something you can touch.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A hardware = ["CPU", "RAM"]

B software = ["app", "OS"]

C for item in hardware:

D print(item, "is software")

Line D — The loop goes through the hardware list, so each item is physical hardware, not software. The message should say "is hardware".

Question 2

A keyboard = hardware

B print(keyboard)

C app = "software"

D print(app)

Line A — The text hardware needs quotation marks to be a string. Without them Python looks for a variable called hardware. It should be keyboard = "hardware".

Question 3

A internal = ["CPU", "RAM"]

B external = ["mouse", "screen"

C print(internal)

D print(external)

Line B — The list of external hardware is missing its closing square bracket. It should end with ].

Question 4

A def is_hardware(part):

B parts = ["mouse", "CPU"]

C return part not in parts

D print(is_hardware("CPU"))

Line C — The function should return True when the part is in the hardware list. Using not in reverses the check. It should be return part in parts.

Question 5

A part = "mouse"

B touch = True

C if touch = True:

D print(part, "is hardware")

Line C — A single = assigns a value, but an if statement needs to compare values. It should be if touch == True:.

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