What term refers to the physical parts of a computer?

The term that refers to the physical parts of a computer is "hardware." Hardware encompasses all the tangible components you can physically touch and see, such as the central processing unit (CPU), memory modules, motherboard, hard drives, graphics cards, and peripheral devices like keyboards and mice. These components are essential for a computer's functioning, allowing it to process data and perform tasks.

In contrast, software refers to the programs and operating systems that tell the hardware how to operate. Firmware is a specific type of software that provides low-level control for a device's specific hardware. Lastly, a network consists of a group of interconnected computers and devices that communicate with each other, focusing more on the communication aspect rather than the physical components of a single machine. Therefore, hardware is the correct term when discussing the physical elements that make up a computer system.