Random-access memory: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Random Access Memory HyperX.jpg|thumb|8GB [[DDR3]] RAM stick with a white [[heatsink]]]]

'''Random-access memory''' ('''RAM'''; {{IPAc-en|r|æ|m}}) is a form of [[Computer memory|electronic computer memory]] that can be read and modifiedchanged in any order, typically used to store working [[Data (computing)|data]] and [[machine code]].<ref>{{cite web |title=RAM |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/ram |website=[[Cambridge English Dictionary]] |access-date=11 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=RAM |url=https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/ram_2 |website=[[Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary]] |access-date=11 July 2019}}</ref> A [[random-access]] memory device allows data items to be [[read (computer)|read]] or written in almost the same amount of time, regardlessirrespective of theirthe physical ___location of data inside the memory., Thisin contrastscontrast with other direct-access data storage media (such as [[hard disk]]s and [[Magnetic tape data storage|magnetic tape]]), where the time required to read and write data items varies significantly depending on their physical locations on the recording medium, due to mechanical limitations such as media rotation speeds and arm movement.

In today's technology, random-access memory takes the form of [[integrated circuit]] (IC) chips with [[MOSFET|MOS]] (metal–oxide–semiconductor) [[Memory cell (computing)|memory cells]]. RAM is normally associated with [[Volatile memory|volatile]] types of memory where stored information is lost if power is removed. The two main types of volatile random-access [[semiconductor memory]] are [[static random-access memory]] (SRAM) and [[dynamic random-access memory]] (DRAM).