Which of the following statements about the OS is true?

The statement that the operating system (OS) controls the hardware components of a computer is true because the OS acts as an intermediary between users and the computer hardware. Its primary role is to manage hardware resources such as the CPU, memory, storage, and peripheral devices. By doing so, the OS ensures that different applications can run concurrently without interfering with each other and allocates hardware resources efficiently to optimize performance. This involves tasks like scheduling processes, managing input/output operations, and handling memory allocation, making it crucial for system functionality and stability.

In contrast, other statements about the OS are inaccurate. For example, while facilitating user interaction is one of its roles, it is not the sole purpose. The OS encompasses a broad range of responsibilities beyond just user interface management. Additionally, the OS is fundamental to file management, providing the necessary structures and functions to create, read, write, and organize files within storage systems. Lastly, the performance of a computer system is significantly influenced by the operating system, affecting everything from resource allocation to task scheduling. Thus, the OS indeed has a profound impact on overall system performance.