Random access memory
is primary memory. Once the computer is switched off, the and held in RAM are lost. RAM is given the term ‘random access’ because data can be stored and accessed from any location within the memory.
RAM is used to hold data and instructions that are currently in use. In a modern PC, RAM is used to hold the and any open documents and that are running.
The contents of RAM can be changed at any time, simply by overwriting them with other data and/or instructions. For example, a user might close one document and open a second, or run a different program.
The more RAM a computer has, the more data and programs it can hold simultaneously. RAM can also be upgraded easily, unlike other types of primary memory.
