Internal Memory (Cambridge International IGCSE ICT)
Exam board Cambridge International · IGCSEUpdated 2024-05-02
RAM
What is RAM?
- RAM (Random Access Memory) is primary storage that is directly connected to the CPU and holds the data and instructions that are currently in use(temporary)
- RAM is volatile which means the contents of RAM are lost when the power is turned off
- For the CPU to access the data and instructions they must be copied from secondary storage
- RAM is very fast working memory, much faster than secondary storage
- RAM is read/write which means data can be read from and written to
- In comparison to ROM, it has a much larger capacity
- RAM capacity can be increased to improve performance
ROM
What is ROM?
- ROM (Read Only Memory) is primary storage that holds the first instructions a computer needs to start up(Boot file)
- ROM contains the BIOS(Basic Input Output System)
- ROM is a small memory chip located on the computers motherboard
- ROM is fast memory, much faster than secondary storage but slower than RAM
- ROM is non-volatile which means the contents of ROM are not lost when the power is turned off
- ROM is read only which means data can only be read from
- In comparison to RAM, it has a much smaller capacity
- ROM capacity can not be increased
Differences between RAM & ROM
| Feature | RAM | ROM |
|---|---|---|
| Stores | Data & programs in use | Boot file (start-up instructions) |
| Capacity | Variable | Fixed |
| Contents | Temporary | Permanent |
| Read/Write | Read & write | Read only |
| Volatile/Non-volatile | Volatile | Non-volatile |
Worked Example State two characteristics of RAM
[2]
Answer
Two of:
Final answer: RAM can be read from and written to [1]
Final answer: RAM is volatile memory [1]
Final answer: RAM is temporary storage [1]
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