it memory + storage

• RAM


  primary or short term memory storage for cpu
• secondary storage


  permanently stored data
• 8 bits


  1 byte
• 4 bits number


  one nibble
• kilobyte


  1000 bytes
• megabyte


  1,000,000 bytes
• gigabyte


  1,000,000,000 bytes
• terabyte


  1,000,000,000,000 bytes
• bit


  binary digit
• value of a bit (binary digit)


  0 or 1
• another name for primary storage


  main memory
• primary storage


  storage locations are directly accessible by the processor
• what does main memory offer?

  it offers very fast read/ write speeds
• what is primary storage typically much lower in, in comparison to secondary storage devices

  lower in capacity
• what does the ram inside a computer hold

  all of the data and instructions that are currently being processed
• in order for any program to be executed...


   it must first be loaded into the RAM from Secondary storage.
•  In order for any program to be executed, it must first be loaded into the RAM from Secondary storage. Why is this so?

  because RAM has a bigger read write speed than secondary storage devices
• the processor will fetch instructions from the ram directly before...

  decoding and executing them
• what happens within the ram?

  memory is split up into seperate locations
• what is the name given to memory which is split up within a RAM?

  a unique memory address
• why does ram mean 'random access'?

  any location can be accessed at random with no impact on speed
• what should we do with data that needs to be stored permanently if it is in a RAM?

  it must be moved out before the computer is switched off
• Although the capacity of RAM is typically lower than secondary storage devices...

  it is often the highest capacity form of main memory
• characteristics of RAM include...

  volatile, you can read and write to it, quicker to access than secondary storage, has the largest capacity of all main memory.