Memory unit

• The Memory unit can be referred to as the storage area in which programs are kept which are running, and that contains data needed by the running programs.
• The Memory unit can be categorized in two ways namely, primary memory and secondary memory.
• It enables a processor to access running execution applications and services that are temporarily stored in a specific memory location.
• Primary storage is the fastest memory that operates at electronic speeds. Primary memory contains a large number of semiconductor storage cells, capable of storing a bit of information. The word length of a computer is between 16-64 bits.
• It is also known as the volatile form of memory, means when the computer is shut down, anything contained in RAM is lost.
• Cache memory is also a kind of memory which is used to fetch the data very soon. They are highly coupled with the processor.
• The most common examples of primary memory are RAM and ROM.
• Secondary memory is used when a large amount of data and programs have to be stored for a long-term basis.
• It is also known as the Non-volatile memory form of memory, means the data is stored permanently irrespective of shut down.
• The most common examples of secondary memory are magnetic disks, magnetic tapes, and optical disks.