Arizona State University (ASU) CSE100 Principles of Programming with C++ Midterm 1 Practice Exam

RAM, or Random Access Memory, is classified as volatile memory because it temporarily holds data that is being actively used or processed by the computer. The key characteristic of volatile memory is that it requires power to maintain the stored information; once the power is turned off or interrupted, all data in RAM is lost. This is in contrast to non-volatile memory, which retains information even when the power is off, such as hard drives or flash drives.

In this context, other types of memory like non-volatile memory, permanent storage, and secondary storage serve different roles in a computer's architecture. Non-volatile memory retains data without a constant power supply, making it suitable for long-term data storage, while permanent storage refers to drives that store data persistently. Secondary storage is typically used for larger volumes of data that are not immediately needed by the CPU but is again classified as non-volatile. Understanding the distinctions between these categories is essential for grasping how memory works in computing systems.