Illustration of a Computer Memory Chip

Memory: Memory is where the work is done and where information is stored. The computer itself has two types of memory—RAM and ROM.

RAM (Random Access Memory) is the working memory that is supplied by electrical currents going through computer chips. Information changes as you edit and enter data. RAM is temporary memory; when you turn off the machine, your information is no longer "in memory." You must store the contents of RAM to a disk in order to save it.

ROM (Read Only Memory) is contained in the hardware itself. It is permanent. ROM is the part of memory that is "built-in" at the factory and is always available. Arithmetic functions are stored in ROM. The procedure to initially start up your computer is