What are hardware components of a computer?

The correct response identifies hardware components as the tangible, physical elements of a computer system. This includes devices you can physically touch, such as keyboards, monitors, hard drives, CPUs, and motherboards. These components work together to perform various functions, allowing the computer to operate and execute tasks.

In contrast, the other options focus on non-hardware aspects. Programs and applications refer to software that runs on the hardware to execute tasks but do not include the physical components themselves. The operating system is also a software layer that manages hardware and provides common services for application software, but it is not a hardware component. Lastly, computer instructions and coding are related to the programming and software side of computing, again, excluding physical hardware. By selecting the correct answer, one recognizes the essential distinction between hardware and software in computer systems.