OCR GCSE Computer Science Teaching and Learning Resources
Chapter 3: Primary storage
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IN THE STUDENT’S BOOK
Page 18
Question
1. Describe the difference between ROM and RAM.
Answer
RAM is volatile and the contents are lost when the power is turned off; the computer
can read and write to RAM. ROM is non-volatile and the contents are read-only and
cannot be overwritten.
Question
2. When a computer is working, what is stored in RAM?
Answer
RAM contains the operating system, utilities and other applications and data currently
in use by the computer.
Question
3. How does a computer use ROM?
Answer
ROM contains essential programs and data to get the computer started and the
operating system loaded into RAM.
Page 20
Question
4. What is virtual memory and why is it needed?
Answer
Virtual memory is part of the hard disk used to supplement the main memory. Data is
moved from virtual memory on the hard disk to main memory as it is needed and
removed from main memory back to the hard disk when it is no longer required.
OCR GCSE Computer Science
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited 2016
OCR GCSE Computer Science Teaching and Learning Resources
Question
5. How does installing more RAM affect the use of virtual memory and how
does this affect the performance of the computer?
Answer
Installing more RAM means the computer needs to use less virtual memory. This
means fewer disk operations and the CPU spends less time waiting for data, thus
improving the performance of the computer.
OCR GCSE Computer Science
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited 2016