Date: 8 Jul 2013

Computer memory is a device used to store data and instructions. The content of memory is in binary form. Memory provides input to the processor to perform various operations. The processor then stores the results back into memory.

The computer memory consists of chips placed on motherboard or on a circuit board attached to the motherboard.

Memory Hierarchy

Memory hierarchy is formed on the basis of capacity, cost and access time. Capacity refers to the amount of information that a memory can store. Access time is the time it takes to read data from and write data into the memory. The memory will be faster if the access time is less.

The registers are the fastest but very expensive and small in size while the magnetic tape is larger but slow and cheap storage device.

There are two types of memory.

Primary Memory

Secondary Memory