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What is Physical Memory and Real Memory?
Computer memory plays a crucial role in the functioning of any computing device. It is responsible for the storage and retrieval of data and instructions that the computer uses during its operations. Two common terms associated with computer memory are physical memory and real memory.
Physical Memory
Physical memory, also known as random-access memory (RAM), refers to the actual hardware component in a computer that stores data and instructions temporarily. It is where the computer stores the information it needs to access quickly for efficient processing. When you turn on your computer, the operating system and other essential programs are loaded into the physical memory.
Physical memory is the bridge between the computer’s storage devices (hard drives, solid-state drives, etc.) and the central processing unit (CPU). It provides a fast medium for the CPU to access the data it needs, significantly improving the computer’s overall performance. However, physical memory is volatile, meaning the data stored in it is lost once the computer is powered off or restarted.
Real Memory
Real memory, also known as virtual memory or logical memory, is a software concept that expands the available memory beyond the limits of the physical memory. It makes use of a portion of the computer’s storage devices, typically the hard drive, as an extension of the physical memory.
When a computer runs out of available physical memory, the operating system swaps out less-used data and instructions from the physical memory to the storage device. This process is called “paging” or “swapping.” When the swapped-out data or instructions are needed again, they are fetched back from the storage device to the physical memory. This allows the computer to continue running programs even if it has limited physical memory.
Real memory provides a significant benefit as it allows the computer to run programs that require more memory than is physically available. However, accessing data from real memory is slower compared to physical memory due to the latency involved in fetching data from the storage device.
In conclusion, physical memory, or RAM, is the actual hardware component that stores temporary data for quick access, improving computer performance. On the other hand, real memory, or virtual memory, is a software concept that expands the available memory using a portion of the computer’s storage devices. It allows the computer to run programs beyond the limits of physical memory, although with slower data access times.
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