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Lesson 8 Computer Memory

Computer memory is used to store instructions and data that a computer needs to access quickly, and comes in two main types: volatile memory (RAM) which loses data when powered off, and non-volatile memory (ROM, flash drives) which retains data without power. Primary memory like RAM is directly accessible by the CPU, while secondary memory like hard drives and SSDs store larger amounts of data but require going through the CPU. Understanding memory units like bits, bytes, kilobytes and gigabytes is important for working with digital files and storage.

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4 views

Lesson 8 Computer Memory

Computer memory is used to store instructions and data that a computer needs to access quickly, and comes in two main types: volatile memory (RAM) which loses data when powered off, and non-volatile memory (ROM, flash drives) which retains data without power. Primary memory like RAM is directly accessible by the CPU, while secondary memory like hard drives and SSDs store larger amounts of data but require going through the CPU. Understanding memory units like bits, bytes, kilobytes and gigabytes is important for working with digital files and storage.

Uploaded by

Lenover
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LESSON 8

Computer
Memory
OBJECTIVES

After successful completion of this module, the student can be able


to:

⮚Understand the fundamental concepts and terminology related to


computer memory, including units of memory and storage devices;
⮚Differentiate between volatile and non-volatile memory and explain
their respective uses;
⮚Demonstrate proficiency in converting between different memory
units; and
⮚Appreciate the significance of memory units in data management,
technology-related careers, and the broader digital landscape.
What is
Computer
Memory?
Computer Memory is the
electronic holding place for
the instructions and data a
computer needs to reach
quickly. It's where information
is stored for immediate use.
It is one of the basic
functions of a computer,
because without it, a
computer would not be
able to function properly.
It is also used by a
computer's operating
system, hardware and
software
The system unit contains two types of memory:
❑Volatile memory
• Loses its contents
• Temporary memory
• Example: RAM
❑Nonvolatile memory
• doesn't lose its content when power is
removed form the computer.
• Permanent memory.
• Examples: ROM, Flash memory, and CMOS.
There are two basic
classifications of memory:

- Primary memory
- Secondary memory
Primary memory is the
internal memory of the
computer and can be directly
accessed by the processor.
The memory capacity of the
primary memory is limited.
There are two types of primary
memory:

- Random Access Memory (RAM)


- Read-Only memory (ROM)
RAM is a read/write
memory used to store
data and currently
running programs. It
is volatile as the data
stored in RAM is lost
when the power is
turned off.
Use case: Temporarily stores
data and programs that the
processor requires during
program execution, load
applications, and read files.
ROM only allows
read-only operations.
ROM is non-volatile,
therefore the data
stored on it is not lost
even when the power
is switched off.
Use cases: ROM is used mostly to
store software that is rarely
changed during the life of the
system. This is quite useful in
embedded systems where the
programming does not need to
change.
Secondary memory is not directly
accessible by the processor. It is a non-
volatile memory so the data is retained
even in the event of power failure. It
can store large amounts of data when
compared to primary memory. It is also
known as auxiliary memory.
Some common examples of secondary
memory include:

- Hard disk drives (HDD)


- Solid-state drive (SSD)
- Optical discs
- USB Flash Drive
- SD Card
A hard disk drive is
a magnetic storage
device that uses
mechanical platters
and a moving
read/write head to
access data.
SSDs are replacing HDDs
because they offer better
performance since they do
not contain any moving
components. Thus, they are
faster, consume less power,
and do not produce noise
during operation.
An optical disc is an
electronic data
storage medium that
uses optical storage
techniques and
technology to read
and write data.
USB flash drives is a data
storage device that includes a
flash memory and an integrated
Universal Serial Bus(USB)
interface. Most USB flash drives
are removable, rewritable, and
smaller than optical discs.
SD Card is also known
as Secure Digital Card.
It is a small flash
memory card designed
to provide high
capacity memory in a
small size.
Units of memory:
• Bit • Terabyte
• Nibble • Petabyte
• Byte • Exabyte
• Kilobyte • Zettabyte
• Megabyte • Yottabyte
• Gigabyte
• A bit is the smallest unit of
representation in the binary
language.
• A nibble is a collection of 4
bits.
• A byte is the representation of
a group of 8 bits.
• Kilobyte (KB) is the most
common unit of memory which
is the smallest of all.
• The abbreviation for megabyte
is ‘MB’.
• The abbreviation for the
gigabyte is ‘GB’ or ‘gigs’.
• The abbreviation for terabytes
is ‘TB’.
• The abbreviation for petabyte is
‘PB’.
• The abbreviation for exabyte is
‘EB’.
• The abbreviation for zettabyte is
‘ZB’.
• The abbreviation for yottabyte is
‘YB’.
Unit of Memory Equivalent
1 Bit Binary Digit 1 or 0
1 Nibble = 4 bits
1 Byte = 2 nibble
1 Kilobyte = 1024 bytes
1 Megabyte = 1024 KB
1 Gigabyte = 1024 MB
Memory Unit Description
1 Terabyte = 1024 GB
1 Petabyte = 1024 TB
1 Exabyte = 1024 PB
1 Zettabyte = 1024 EB
1 Yottabyte = 1024 ZB
Convert the following Memory Units:

1. 5TB = ______ GB 6. 2048 nibble = ______ bytes


2. 24MB = ______ KB 7. 4096 ZB = ______ YB
3. 512GB = ______ TB 8. 128 bytes = ______ bit
4. 8PB = ______ GB 9. 8192 KB = ______ MB
5. 1024bytes = ______ bit 10. 32 TB = ______ MB
Solve the following:

1.7TB – 500,000MB = ______ GB


2.512MB – 34MB = ______ KB
3.512GB + 2TB = ______ TB
4.8PB x 3PB = ______ GB
5.1,024,000bytes ÷ 4nibble = ______ bit

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