RAM and the performance of a computer questions and answers
Q1. Why generally is more RAM in a computer desirable?
A1. So you can fit all of the programs you want to use in RAM, without having to use virtual memory.
Q2. What is ‘virtual memory’?
A2. Using part of the hard drive (secondary storage) as if it were part of RAM ( primary memory).
Q3. What is meant by multi-tasking?
A3. Running more than one program at apparently the same time.
Q4. What are the limiting factors for increasing the amount of RAM in a computer?
A4. Motherboards have a maximum amount of RAM they can hold, and cost may be an issue.
Q5. Where are programs you load on a computer stored?
A5. They are loaded up and stored on the hard drive.
Q6. What happens when you want to run an application?
A6. The program is found on the hard drive, copied into RAM and then the CPU starts accessing it, one instruction at a time.
Q7. Which is faster to read from or write to: a hard drive or RAM?
A7. RAM.
Q8. Explain your answer to Q7 above.
A8. RAM is solid state (uses electronics). It has no moving parts that take time to move. Hard drives are slow because they are mechanical.
Q9. Do some research on the Internet. What is meant by a 'Von Neumann processor'?
A9. Von Neumann processors have one RAM that is used for both instructions and programs. It can only work on one instruction at a time in a fetch - decode - execute cycle.
Q10. What is a motherboard?
A10. A motherboard is a printed circuit board that holds or links the main components of a computer system together.