Final answer:
The software that instructs a computer how to operate its circuitry is called System software, which includes the operating system and utility programs that ensure the computer's basic functionality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The software that instructs a computer how to operate its circuitry is called System software. This type of software is responsible for managing the hardware and providing the foundation for application software to run. It includes the operating system and utility programs that help to maintain the computer. Unlike application software, which is designed for end-users to perform specific tasks like word processing or web browsing, system software operates in the background and is essential for the basic functionality of the computer.
Firmware is a special subset of system software that provides low-level control for a device's specific hardware but is not generally responsible for the higher-level operations of the entire computer system.
Hardware refers to the physical components of a computer like the processor, memory modules, and storage devices, whereas system software is a type of non-tangible computer program.