FC0-U71 Tech Concepts and Terminology Practice Question
Which of the following is an example of application software?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is conflating anything 'installed on a computer' with application software — candidates often pick Windows 10 or the Linux kernel because they are familiar names, forgetting that operating systems and firmware are classified as system software.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is application software because it is a user-facing program designed to perform a specific productivity task (word processing) on top of the operating system. Application software sits above system software and relies on the OS for hardware access, file management, and process scheduling. Windows 10, BIOS, and the Linux kernel are all system-level components, not end-user applications.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Windows 10
Why it's wrong here
Windows 10 is an operating system, which is system software providing the platform on which applications run; it is not itself application software. Tempting because Windows includes bundled applications such as Notepad and Edge, but the OS kernel and shell are the platform, not the application layer.
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BIOS
Why it's wrong here
BIOS is firmware embedded on the motherboard, initialising hardware and handing control to the bootloader before any operating system loads; it is system-level, not application software. Tempting because it runs code and has a setup interface, but firmware is not installed or executed as an application within an OS.
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Linux kernel
Why it's wrong here
The Linux kernel is system software, managing hardware, memory and processes beneath the user-space layer; application software performs user-facing tasks. Tempting because the kernel ships with utilities and shells, but it is the core of the operating system itself, not an application running on top of it.
- ✓
Microsoft Word
Why this is correct
Microsoft Word is application software because it performs a user-facing productivity task rather than managing hardware or system resources. Unlike operating systems or utilities, it runs on top of the platform to create and edit documents, directly satisfying the stem's requirement for an application software example.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.