RAM is described as volatile. What does this mean?
Its contents are lost when the power is switched off
Why is an application transferred into RAM when it is opened?
So the CPU can access its instructions faster than from secondary storage
Which statement correctly compares RAM with secondary storage?
RAM has a smaller capacity and costs more per gigabyte
A student is typing a document when the power fails. What happens to the work that has not been saved?
It is lost, because RAM cannot hold data without power
Which of these is a typical amount of RAM for a modern desktop computer?
16 GB
A computer keeps freezing, but restarting it usually solves the problem. Why does restarting help?
Restarting clears the contents of RAM
What happens to an application that is running when it is closed?
It is removed from RAM
Which term describes memory that loses the data it stores when the power supply is switched off?
Volatile memory
What is meant by RAM?
The main memory that holds the programs and data currently in use and is volatile
What is meant by non-volatile memory?
Memory that keeps the data it stores even when the power supply is switched off
What is meant by primary storage?
The fast memory that is directly accessible by the CPU and holds the programs and data currently in use
Which term describes the maximum amount of data that a memory device is able to store?
Capacity
A computer becomes slow when several applications are open at the same time, and speeds up again when some are closed. What is the most likely explanation?
There is not enough RAM to hold all of the open applications
A hard disk drive transfers data at about 160 MB per second, while RAM transfers data at over 20000 MB per second. Why does the CPU need the programs it runs to be in RAM?
So the CPU does not have to wait for data and instructions to arrive
A computer has been switched on and several programs are open. Which of these is held in RAM?
The parts of the applications that are currently in use
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