memory and storage Flashcards
(28 cards)
what are the two types of primary storage
RAM and ROM
what does volatile mean?
changes state quickly
what is RAM?
Random Access Memory.
holds all the data if the computer goes off
what is ROM
it doesn’t lose data but needs a small battery to still work if the power goes out
components of RAM
holds lots of data, and can be changed and it is very fast
components of ROM
cannot hold much data, can’t change what’s in it and is slow
the more RAM you have…
the quicker your computer runs
BIOS
Basic Input Output System
if RAM becomes full what do you use
virtual memory
why do we need storage devices
to store and retrieve digital information on your computer
what do you store on your phone
apps, photos and videos
what do you store on a computer
apps, photos, files and videos
what is secondary storage
long term storage
what do we use secondary storage for
files, software or operating systems
what are the three types of secondary storage
magnetic, optical and solid state
what is a disc drive
a metal disc inside that spins. the disc is coated with a magnetic material
what is the “south pole” and the “north pole”
it’s a polarity of 1s and 0s
advantages of a magnetic disc
fast access speeds, random access- data read from any part of the disc, large storage capacity, cheap
disadvantages of magnetic disc drives
not always portable, can be damaged quite easily
what does a solid state drive use
microchips
how is a solid state drive stored
electronically using flash memory
what is flash memory a type of
electrically erasable programmable read only memory / EEPROM
advantages of a solid state drive
fasted type of storage, small and light, easy to carry around, no moving parts so no easily damaged
disadvantages of a solid state drive
it’s most expensive, the capacity is smaller than HDD, cannot be used indefinitely
