Which of the following would NOT be considered hardware?

A word processing application is classified as software, which is fundamentally different from hardware. Hardware refers to the physical components of a computer system that you can touch and see, such as a computer monitor, keyboard, and hard drive. These elements are integral to the functionality of the computer, as they perform essential tasks and work in conjunction with software to operate. In contrast, a word processing application, like Microsoft Word, is a set of instructions and programs that run on the hardware, enabling users to create, edit, and manage documents. It does not have a physical form and cannot operate independently of the hardware. Understanding this distinction is crucial for comprehending the basic structure of computer systems and their components.