Understanding Hardware, Software & Data Flow

The role of hardware and software

By

​Learning Intention & Success Criteria

​🧠 ACTDIK024 – Examine the role of hardware and software in managing and controlling data.
Achievement Standard: Understanding roles and interactions of hardware/software

Learning Intention: Understand how hardware and software work together to manage data.

• Success Criteria:

  • I can identify hardware and software

  • I can explain how they interact

  • I can describe the input → process → output cycle

• Definition: Hardware is the physical part of a computer.

• Examples: Keyboard, monitor, CPU, printer, USB.

• 💡 If you can touch it, it’s hardware.

​

​What is Hardware?

• Definition: Software is the programs or instructions that tell the hardware what to do.

• Examples: Microsoft Word, games, web browsers.

• 💡 You can’t touch it, but you use it every time you use a computer.

​

​What is Software?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of software?

• Printer

• Keyboard

• Microsoft Word

• Monitor

Labelling

Label the hardware parts

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Power Supply

RAM Stick

Fan

CPU

Hard drive

Motherboard

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT hardware?

• Monitor

• USB stick

• Web browser

• Scanner

• Input: Something that sends data INTO the computer

• Examples: Keyboard, microphone, mouse, touch screen

• 💡 It’s how we talk to the computer.

What is Input?

• Output: Data that comes OUT of the computer

• Examples: Screen, printer, speakers

• 💡 It’s how the computer talks back to us.

​

​What is Output?

• Processing: What the computer does with the input

• Happens in the CPU (brain of the computer)

• 💡 It turns our instructions into results.

​

What is Processing?

Multiple Choice

What is the main job of the CPU?

• Store files

• Display results

• Control the mouse

• Process instructions

• Storage: Where data is saved so we can use it later

• Short-term: RAM (temporary)

• Long-term: Hard drive, USB stick, cloud storage

​

What is Storage?

Multiple Choice

Which device is used for long-term storage?

• RAM

• CPU

• USB Stick

• Mouse

• CPU = Central Processing Unit

• It carries out instructions from software

• Analogy: It’s the brain of the computer

• 💡 Every action goes through the CPU.

​

​The Role of the CPU

• RAM = Random Access Memory

• Stores data currently in use

• Helps the system run fast

• 💡 It’s your desk space – cleared when power goes off.

​

​The Role of RAM

Multiple Choice

Which part of a computer stores data temporarily while it’s in use?

• RAM

• CPU

• Monitor

• Hard Drive

• OS controls how the hardware and apps work together

• Examples: Windows, macOS, iOS, ANDROID

• 💡 Without an OS, software can’t talk to the hardware.

​

The Role of the Operating System

Multiple Choice

What does an operating system do?

• Stores photos

• Controls internet

• Runs software & hardware

• Cleans the screen

• Apps = software that helps users do tasks

• Examples:

  • Word → documents

  • Excel → data

  • Chrome → browsing

​

​Application Software

• Press a key (input)

• CPU processes the instruction (process)

• Letter appears on screen (output)

​

Input → Process → Output Diagram

Multiple Choice

What is the correct order of how data moves through a computer?

• Process → Output → Input

• Input → Process → Output

• Output → Input → Process

• Storage → Input → Output

Examples:

• Playing music: App (software) → CPU → Speakers (hardware)

• Sending an email

• Playing a game​

Hardware/Software in Everyday Life

Multiple Choice

When you watch a video on YouTube, which part is hardware?

• The website

• The monitor

• The video file

• The search bar