Memory and storage Flashcards
What is main memory?
RAM (random access memory)
What is RAM?
stores all open programs and files and is volatile. once it is loaded it is opened from secondary storage and stored in the RAM. this is so the CPU can access the program/file and its data quickly.
What is ROM?
read only memory is memory that stores the program for booting up the computer system.
what is virtual memory?
how the computer continues to operate once the RAM becomes full.
what is secondary storage?
where memory is stored whilst the computer is turned off or on. it is not volatile.
what are the characteristics of optical storage?
capacity- relatively small ranging from 500MB to 5 GB
speed- slow to read and write data to. data is burnt onto disks and takes and lengthy period of time
portability- is light ad relatively easy to carry around. it may not fit inside a pocket but will fit inside a bag
durability- can be easily scratched, once scratched it may not be able to function
reliability- quite reliable. unlikely to stop working if looked after. however unsuitable for rugged applications.
cost- cheap to buy in bulk
what are the characteristics of magnetic storage?
capacity- has a large capacity in fact the largest of all three
speed- provides fast access to data. data can be written and read from media quickly
portability- is bulky and heavy and not easy to carry around. it is usually left inside a computer.
durability- easily damaged and data can be easily corrupted
reliability- can falter over time and require replacing
cost- can be expensive to replace ranging from £50-£150. however the price per unit of storage is relatively cheap.
what are the characteristics of solid state storage?
capacity- medium to large capacity can range from 2GB to 256GB
speed- has the fastest read write time providing fast access to data
portability- is light and very portable and can fit inside a pocket and be transported from one place to another
durability- very durable, can withstand being shaken and dropped and is strong and unlikely to break easily
reliability- quite reliable and unlikely to stop working if looked after. suitable for rugged applications due to its reliability.
cost- prices vary depending on the the type, external cost approximately £60 where a USB memory stick can cost £10. depends on the media you choose. price per unit of storage is higher however then magnetic storage averaging at £0.15 per GB.
how do you find the size of a sound file?
size= sample rate x duration x bit depth
