Hardware definition, hardware components and what they are

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Hardware

Computer hardware refers to the physical parts of a computer and related devices. Internal hardware devices include motherboards, hard drives, and RAM. External hardware devices include monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, and scanners.

The internal hardware parts of a computer are often referred to as components, while external hardware devices are usually called peripherals. Together, they all fall under the category of computer hardware. Software, on the other hand, consists of the programs and applications that run on computers. Because software runs on computer hardware, software programs often have system requirements that list the minimum hardware required for the software to run.

Edited March 10, 2019 by DiaboliK.
A new simple and easy hardware definition with pictures.

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A computer (or a computing system) can be defined as an electronic data-processing machine, based on a program.

             Computer programs are instruction sets written using a programming language that transcribe an algorithm.

             The programming language is a language that is accessible to both the human operator and the technical equipment.

             An algorithm is a method of solving a problem through a finite number of steps.

             One step is an operation that can be performed by an operator.

             Data is information passed on a support.

 

             Configuring a system is the list of components of that system.

             architecture of a system is the configuration along with the relationships between the elements.

A computing system is a set of two components:
HARDWARE - is a term that covers all the electronic and mechanical components of the computing system (the physical part);
SOFTWARE - is a term that covers all the programs used in a computing system. Within the software component is distinguished an element that ensures the interconnection of all components of the computing system, transforming them into an entity - the computer and ensuring its interconnection with the external environment. This software item is called operating system

HARDWARE COMPONENTS
 

The core of a PC is composed of 8 major elements:

Motherboard - represents the physical and logical support for the other components, being the hardware component that ensures the physical interconnection of all elements in the configuration of a computing system;

 microprocessor - on most current computers, this is an INTEL microprocessor, or one of the INTEL compatible processors produced by other companies;
Input / output equipment set - including keyboard, mouse, scanner, CD-ROM or bar code readers as input devices. The most common output devices are printers and monitors;
A set of fast memory and slower storage devices - to save and retrieve data and programs;

A bus / bus set - to connect the microprocessor to memory or adapters that make it possible to attach other devices through their ports or extension connectors. Buses can be thought of as electronic highways interconnecting the hard components of a PC;

Set of adapters - enabling the microprocessor to control and communicate with I / O and storage devices. These adapters are circuit assemblies that attach to the system bus and convert each bus into an interface port that accepts the connection of certain I / O equipment. For example, a serial port adapter connects to a computer bus and creates a COM port on which a modem can be connected. The adapter is therefore the bridge between the computer buses and the devices that need to be connected to it;

Ports - are hard interfaces (physical connectors) that enable a wide range of adapters to be attached to the computer buses during production or later;
Slow Storage Devices - where data and programs are kept in the long run. These include non-volatile (magnetic or optical) storage media such as CD-URIs and floppy disks.