What term describes the physical aspects of computers, telecommunications, and other devices?

The term that describes the physical aspects of computers, telecommunications, and other devices is hardware. Hardware encompasses all the tangible components that make up a computer system — including the central processing unit (CPU), memory modules, motherboards, hard drives, and peripheral devices like printers and keyboards.

This contrasts with software, which refers to the programs and operating systems that instruct the hardware on what tasks to perform. While networks are concerned with how various devices communicate with one another, and firmware is specialized software programmed into the hardware to control its functions, they do not refer to the physical components themselves. Understanding the distinction between these terms is crucial in computer science, as it helps clarify how different components interact and function within a computer system.