Unit 2
Hardware
Hardware is the physical pieces of a computer. Anything that is physically sitting on you desk or whatever, that has a definate volume and shape, is a piece of hardware. Hardware is the most obvious computer component, examples are monitors, the case, the stuff in the case, used golfballs... the list is virtually endless. Hardware performs five main functions: receiving input, the actual processing/computing, giving output, storage, and protecting the rest of the hardware. Mice and keyboards are examples input devices. Printers and monitors represent output. Hard drives perform storage, the processor and motherboard for processing, and the fans and case protect the computer parts.