Memory & Storage

What is the difference between primary and secondary storage?

State TWO advantages of cloud storage over local secondary storage.

Which of the following is an example of primary storage?

Explain why the CPU cannot directly access data stored on a hard disk drive.

Why does a computer need both primary and secondary storage, rather than just one type?

When a user opens a word processor application, explain how primary and secondary storage are both used.

Which of these correctly lists storage types from primary to secondary?

Give one similarity and one difference between RAM and a solid-state drive (SSD).

A new laptop is advertised as having "8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage". Explain what each of these figures refers to.

Which of these is true of primary storage compared to secondary storage?

What does volatile memory mean?

Give an example of a volatile memory and an example of a non-volatile memory.

Why is it important that a computer's ROM is non-volatile?

Explain why any unsaved work in an open document is lost if a computer suddenly loses power.

Which of the following is non-volatile?

Explain why a computer needs some form of non-volatile storage in addition to volatile RAM.

A student says "ROM is volatile because it can be read very quickly". Is the student correct?

Classify each of the following as volatile or non-volatile: RAM, ROM, SSD, CPU cache.

Why do smartphones use non-volatile flash memory to store apps and photos, rather than relying on RAM?

Explain the relationship between volatility and the role of RAM during the fetch-decode-execute cycle.

Which type of storage is most suitable for a portable music player that needs to be shock-resistant?

What is optical storage? Give one example and one use.

Explain what magnetic storage is and give one advantage and one disadvantage.

What is flash memory and give one common use for it.

Which storage type would be the best choice for a large company's archive of old data that is rarely accessed but must be kept for many years at low cost?

Give TWO advantages of SSD over HDD storage.

Why are optical discs (such as DVDs) often used for distributing software or films, despite having lower capacity than other storage types?

Compare magnetic, solid-state, and optical storage in terms of typical access speed, from fastest to slowest.

A photographer needs a portable drive to back up thousands of large photo files while travelling, and wants it to survive being dropped occasionally. Which storage type is most appropriate?

Explain why solid-state storage generally costs more per gigabyte than magnetic storage.

What is virtual memory?

Explain why an operating system might use virtual memory.

What is the process called when data is moved between RAM and virtual memory on secondary storage?

Explain why using virtual memory can make a computer run more slowly.

A computer with too little RAM for the programs it is running will rely heavily on virtual memory. What effect is this likely to have?

Explain how increasing the amount of physical RAM in a computer can reduce its reliance on virtual memory.

Which part of the operating system is typically responsible for managing virtual memory?

Describe how virtual memory allows a computer to run a program that requires more memory than the amount of physical RAM installed.

Why is an SSD-based virtual memory generally less of a performance problem than an HDD-based one?

Suggest one disadvantage of relying heavily on virtual memory rather than physical RAM.

A file is 4.5 MB. How many KB is this?

Convert 3 gigabytes to megabytes.

An image has a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels and a colour depth of 8 bits per pixel. Calculate the file size in bytes (uncompressed).

What formula is used to calculate the file size of an uncompressed bitmap image?

An image is 1024 × 768 pixels with a colour depth of 24 bits. Calculate the file size in bytes.

If the colour depth of an image is increased while resolution stays the same, what happens to the file size?

A storage device has 2 GB of free space. Each photo taken by a camera is 4 MB. Approximately how many photos can be stored?

An uncompressed image file is 600,000 bytes and has a resolution of 500 × 400 pixels. What is its colour depth in bits per pixel?

Explain why increasing the resolution of an image increases its file size, using the file size formula.

A camera can store images at two settings: 1200 × 800 pixels at 16-bit colour, or 2400 × 1600 pixels at 8-bit colour. Which setting produces the larger file, and by how many times?

Give TWO differences between RAM and ROM.

What is the purpose of ROM in a computer?

What is the main purpose of RAM in a computer system?

Explain why a computer with more RAM can generally run more programs at the same time without slowing down.

When a computer is switched on, what is the first thing that typically happens, in relation to ROM?

Explain why the contents of ROM are not normally changed by the user.

A computer has 4GB of RAM. The operating system and currently open programs require 4.5GB. What is the most likely consequence?

Describe the relationship between RAM and the programs a user has open on their computer.

Why can RAM be described as "working memory" while ROM cannot?

A games console has 16GB of RAM and 8GB of ROM-based firmware storage. Explain the different roles these two components play.