1.2: Memory - YK

Question 1

What is RAM?

Answer 1

Random Access Memory stores data and instructions for programs currently in use; volatile, read+write, can be dynamic (cheaper, slower, needs constant refreshing, used as main RAM) or static (more expensive, faster, doesn’t need to be constantly refreshed, used as cache)

Question 2

What is ROM?

Answer 2

Read Only Memory stores instructions needed to boot up the computer (like BIOS); non-volatile, read only

Question 3

What is virtual memory?

Answer 3

Virtual memory (page file) is a special section of the hard drive which holds instructions to be swapped in and out of RAM (if RAM can’t hold everything)

Question 4

What is cache memory?

Answer 4

Very fast memory closer to the CPU than RAM used to store the most commonly used instructions in an area faster to retrieve

Question 5

What is flash memory?

Answer 5

ROM memory which is completely rewritable, can be used as secondary storage, faster than a hard disk drive