Computer Hardware 19
Types of Keys (iv) Escape Key (Esc) It allows a user to
1. Alphanumeric Keys include the alphabet cancel or abort operations, which are
keys (A, B, C, ..., Z) and number keys executing at present. It opens Start menu
(0, 1, 2, 3, ..., 9). with the combination of Ctrl key.
2. Numeric Keys are located at the right hand (v) Backspace Key It is used to erase
side of the keyboard. They consist of digits and anything typed.
mathematical operators. (vi) Delete Key It is used to erase information
3. Function Keys are the programmable keys, from the computer’s memory and characters
i.e. the programs can assign some specific on the screen.
actions. They are numbered from F1 to F12. (vii) Caps Lock Key It is used to type the
4. Cursor Control Keys include four directional alphabet in capital letters. It enables or
(left, right, up, down) arrow keys that are disables all the letters from being typed in
arranged in a inverted T formation between the capital letters.
alphanumeric and numeric keypad. Apart from (viii) Num Lock Key It is used to enable and
the above arrow keys, there are four more keys disable the numeric keypad.
to control the cursor. (ix) Windows Key It is used to open the Start
These are as follows menu.
(i) Home It is used to return the cursor to the (x) Spacebar Key It provides space between
beginning of the line or the beginning of a two words. It is the longest key on the
document. keyboard.
(ii) End It moves the cursor to the end of line. (xi) Tab Key It is used to move the cursor
(iii) Page Up When it is pressed, the page view over the right to a pre-set point. In Word
will move up one page and cursor goes to document, tab is used to indent a paragraph.
the previous page. Note QWERTY keyboard contains total 104 keys.
Caps Lock and Num Lock keys are called as
(iv) Page Down When it is pressed, the page
‘toggle keys’ because when they are pressed,
view will move down one page and cursor they toggle or change their status from one state
goes to the next page. to another. Shift, Ctrl and Alt keys are also known
5. Other Keys A keyboard contains some other as modifier keys.
keys such as follows
(i) Control Key It performs a special Pointing Device
operation as the combination with other A pointing device is used to communicate with
keys. For example, Ctrl + C is used for the computer by pointing to the location on the
copying. monitor. Movements of the pointing device are
(ii) Enter Key It is used to finish an entry echoed on the screen by movements of the pointer.
and begin a new entry in the document. Some commonly used pointing devices are described
Enter key is an alternative to press OK button. below
(iii) Shift Key Some keys on the keyboard
like numeric keys have a symbol printed on Mouse
their upper portion. Shift key is used to Mouse is a small handheld pointing device having
print these symbols. This key is also called two buttons on its upper side and also has a small
combination key, because it is always used wheel between these buttons. It was invented by
with other keys. For example, Shift + a, Douglas Engelbart at Stanford Research Centre in
converts small ‘a’ into capital ‘A’. 1963.
