Which of the following is an example of application software?

Application software refers to programs designed to perform specific tasks for users. Microsoft Word is a prime example of application software, as it is developed to assist users in creating, formatting, and editing text documents. It provides tools specifically tailored for word processing, making it a vital application for tasks such as writing reports, letters, and other text-based documents.

The other options listed represent different categories of software. The Windows Operating System serves as system software, managing hardware and software resources and providing a platform for application software to run. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is firmware used during the boot process to initialize hardware before the operating system takes over. Device drivers are specialized programs that allow the operating system to communicate with hardware devices, functioning as intermediaries but not serving as standalone applications for end-users.