COMPUTER (YOU PICK TOPIC) - Research Paper Example

Our way of life, due to the technology provided by this advancement, will never be the same. It is fascinating that although a majority of people are familiar with computers, the concepts behind how they actually work have not been duly given emphasis, especially on how computer memory works. According to Hamacher, et.al. (1990), “memory is the part of the computer that holds data and instructions for processing. Although closely associated with the central processing unit, memory is separate from it.

Memory stores program instructions or data for only as long as the program they pertain to is in operation.” Most people have interchangeably used memory with other terms such as primary storage, primary memory, main storage, internal storage, main memory, and RAM (Random Access Memory) (Pfleeger 2000). However, it is important to note that memory has many classifications or types, of which RAM, falls under it. Hard disks provide large quantities of inexpensive, permanent storage. Because storage space on a hard disk is so cheap and plentiful, it forms the final stage of a CPUs memory hierarchy, called virtual memory.

The next level of the hierarchy is RAM. Accordingly, Tyson emphasized that “a computers system RAM alone is not fast enough to match the speed of the CPU that is why you need a cache. Caches are designed to alleviate this bottleneck by making the data used most often by the CPU instantly available. This is accomplished by building a small amount of memory, known as primary or level 1 cache, right into the CPU.” CPUs with diverse features differ in speed and accessibility of containing a specific amount of data or information.

Those CPUs which are faster and more powerful need quick and easy access to large amounts of data in order to maximize their performance. Frenzel (2004) averred that “if the CPU cannot get to