Master Computer Memory concepts with 120+ curated MCQs covering RAM, ROM, Cache, Virtual Memory, Memory Management, and more. Perfect for exams, interviews, and placements.
What is computer memory?
A device that stores data and instructions for processing
A device that displays output
A device that processes data
A device that connects to the internet
Which of the following is the fastest type of memory?
RAM
Cache Memory
Hard Disk
ROM
What is the primary function of memory in a computer?
To store data and programs temporarily or permanently
To perform arithmetic calculations
To display information
To connect to networks
Which type of memory is directly accessible by the CPU?
Secondary Memory
Primary Memory
Tertiary Memory
Offline Memory
The smallest unit of data in computer memory is:
Byte
Bit
Nibble
Word
A group of 8 bits is called:
Word
Byte
Nibble
Kilobyte
What does RAM stand for?
Random Access Memory
Read Access Memory
Run Access Memory
Real Access Memory
Which of the following is a characteristic of RAM?
Volatile memory
Non-volatile memory
Read-only memory
Permanent storage
What is the full form of DRAM?
Dynamic Random Access Memory
Digital Random Access Memory
Direct Random Access Memory
Dual Random Access Memory
What is the full form of SRAM?
Static Random Access Memory
System Random Access Memory
Super Random Access Memory
Serial Random Access Memory
Which type of RAM needs to be refreshed periodically?
SRAM
DRAM
MRAM
FRAM
Which RAM is faster and more expensive?
DRAM
SRAM
SDRAM
RDRAM
What does ROM stand for?
Read Only Memory
Random Only Memory
Run Only Memory
Real Only Memory
Which of the following is a characteristic of ROM?
Volatile
Non-volatile
Read-write memory
Temporary storage
What is the full form of PROM?
Programmable Read Only Memory
Primary Read Only Memory
Pre-programmed Read Only Memory
Partial Read Only Memory
What is the full form of EPROM?
Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
Electronic Programmable Read Only Memory
External Programmable Read Only Memory
Extended Programmable Read Only Memory
What is the full form of EEPROM?
Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
Electronic Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
External Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
Extended Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
Which type of ROM can be erased using ultraviolet light?
PROM
EPROM
EEPROM
Mask ROM
What is cache memory?
High-speed memory between CPU and main memory
Secondary storage device
Virtual memory
Flash memory
Cache memory is based on which principle?
Locality of reference
FIFO
LRU
Round Robin
Which level of cache is the smallest and fastest?
L1 Cache
L2 Cache
L3 Cache
L4 Cache
What is the purpose of cache memory?
To reduce the average time to access data
To increase storage capacity
To provide backup storage
To improve graphics performance
Which cache mapping technique uses a hash function?
Direct mapping
Associative mapping
Set-associative mapping
All of the above
What is a cache hit?
Data is found in the cache
Data is not found in the cache
Cache is full
Cache is empty
Which of the following is a secondary storage device?
Hard Disk Drive
RAM
Cache Memory
Register
What is the full form of SSD?
Solid State Drive
System Storage Drive
Super Speed Drive
Serial Storage Drive
Which storage device uses magnetic platters to store data?
SSD
HDD
USB Drive
Memory Card
What is the storage capacity of a standard DVD?
4.7 GB
700 MB
25 GB
50 GB
Which of the following is a portable storage device?
USB Flash Drive
Internal HDD
RAM
Cache Memory
What is the primary advantage of SSD over HDD?
Faster read/write speeds
Larger capacity
Lower cost
All of the above
What is virtual memory?
Memory that uses hard disk as extended RAM
Physical RAM
Cache memory
ROM
What is the purpose of virtual memory?
To allow programs to use more memory than physical RAM
To increase processing speed
To store permanent data
To improve graphics
What is a page fault?
When a requested page is not in memory
When the system crashes
When the disk is full
When memory is corrupted
Which algorithm is used for page replacement?
LRU (Least Recently Used)
FIFO (First In First Out)
Optimal
All of the above
What is thrashing in virtual memory?
Excessive page swapping causing performance degradation
Memory being upgraded
Disk being formatted
Cache being cleared
What is the page size in virtual memory typically?
4 KB
1 KB
16 KB
64 KB
Which of the following correctly represents the memory hierarchy from fastest to slowest?
Registers → Cache → RAM → SSD → HDD
Cache → Registers → RAM → HDD → SSD
RAM → Cache → Registers → HDD → SSD
HDD → SSD → RAM → Cache → Registers
What is the purpose of memory hierarchy?
To optimize cost, speed, and capacity
To reduce power consumption
To increase storage capacity
To simplify hardware design
Which memory in the hierarchy has the largest capacity?
Registers
Cache
RAM
Secondary Storage
Which memory in the hierarchy is the most expensive per byte?
Registers
RAM
Hard Disk
SSD
What is the access time order from fastest to slowest?
Registers < Cache < RAM < Disk
Disk < RAM < Cache < Registers
RAM < Cache < Registers < Disk
Cache < Registers < RAM < Disk
Which level of memory hierarchy is closest to the CPU?
Registers
Cache
RAM
SSD
What is memory management in operating systems?
The process of managing computer memory
The process of managing files
The process of managing processes
The process of managing devices
What is fragmentation in memory management?
When memory becomes unusable due to small free blocks
When memory is completely full
When memory is upgraded
When memory is corrupted
What is external fragmentation?
Free memory scattered in small blocks
Memory allocated to a process is wasted
Memory is not allocated
Memory is corrupted
What is internal fragmentation?
Wasted memory within an allocated block
Free memory scattered in small blocks
Memory allocation failure
Memory corruption
Which technique is used to reduce fragmentation?
Paging
Segmentation
Both Paging and Segmentation
None of the above
What is a memory leak?
When a program fails to release memory it no longer needs
When memory is physically damaged
When memory is upgraded
When memory is corrupted
1 Kilobyte (KB) is equal to:
1024 bytes
1000 bytes
512 bytes
2048 bytes
1 Megabyte (MB) is equal to:
1024 KB
1000 KB
1024 bytes
1,000,000 bytes
1 Gigabyte (GB) is equal to:
1024 MB
1000 MB
1024 KB
1,000,000 KB
1 Terabyte (TB) is equal to:
1024 GB
1000 GB
1024 MB
1,000,000 MB
What is a word in computer memory?
A group of bytes processed together
A single byte
A single bit
A nibble
A nibble consists of how many bits?
4 bits
8 bits
2 bits
16 bits
What is sequential access memory?
Data is accessed in a linear sequence
Data is accessed randomly
Data is accessed in parallel
Data is accessed in reverse order
What is random access memory?
Any location can be accessed directly
Data is accessed in sequence
Data is accessed only once
Data is accessed in blocks
Which of the following is an example of sequential access?
Tape Drive
RAM
SSD
Cache
Which of the following is an example of random access?
RAM
Tape Drive
CD-ROM
DVD
What is direct access memory?
Data can be accessed directly using an address
Data is accessed in sequence
Data is accessed in blocks
Data is accessed in parallel
What is associative access memory?
Data is accessed by content rather than address
Data is accessed by address
Data is accessed in sequence
Data is accessed in blocks
What is flash memory?
A non-volatile memory that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed
A volatile memory
A read-only memory
A magnetic memory
Which of the following uses flash memory?
USB Drives
SSDs
Memory Cards
All of the above
What is the difference between NAND and NOR flash memory?
NAND has higher density and lower cost; NOR has faster read speed
NOR has higher density; NAND has faster read speed
Both are the same
NAND is volatile; NOR is non-volatile
What is the typical lifespan of flash memory in terms of write cycles?
10,000 to 100,000 write cycles
1,000 to 10,000 write cycles
100,000 to 1,000,000 write cycles
Unlimited write cycles
What is wear leveling in flash memory?
A technique to distribute writes evenly across memory cells
A technique to increase memory capacity
A technique to speed up read operations
A technique to reduce power consumption
Which type of flash memory is commonly used in SSDs?
NAND Flash
NOR Flash
Both NAND and NOR
Neither
What is optical storage?
Storage that uses laser light to read and write data
Storage that uses magnetic fields
Storage that uses electrical charges
Storage that uses mechanical parts
Which of the following is an optical storage medium?
CD-ROM
DVD
Blu-ray
All of the above
What is the storage capacity of a standard Blu-ray disc?
25 GB (single-layer)
4.7 GB
700 MB
50 GB (single-layer)
What is the difference between CD-R and CD-RW?
CD-R can be written once; CD-RW can be rewritten multiple times
CD-R has more capacity than CD-RW
CD-RW is read-only; CD-R is writable
CD-R is faster than CD-RW
What type of laser is used in Blu-ray players?
Blue-violet laser
Red laser
Infrared laser
Green laser
What is the data transfer rate of a typical DVD drive?
1x = 1.32 MB/s
1x = 150 KB/s
1x = 4.5 MB/s
1x = 10 MB/s
What is magnetic storage?
Storage that uses magnetic fields to store data
Storage that uses laser light
Storage that uses electrical charges
Storage that uses mechanical parts
Which of the following is a magnetic storage device?
Hard Disk Drive
SSD
USB Drive
CD-ROM
What is a magnetic tape used for?
Backup and archival storage
Primary storage
Cache memory
RAM
What is the advantage of magnetic tape over other storage media?
Low cost per GB for large-scale storage
Fast random access
Small physical size
High power efficiency
What is a floppy disk?
A magnetic storage medium that was commonly used in the past
A type of optical storage
A type of flash memory
A type of RAM
What is the storage capacity of a standard 3.5-inch floppy disk?
1.44 MB
720 KB
2.88 MB
100 MB
What is memory access time?
The time taken to read or write data
The time taken to boot the system
The time taken to transfer data over network
The time taken to display output
What is memory bandwidth?
The amount of data that can be transferred per second
The size of memory
The speed of the CPU
The speed of the network
What is latency in memory?
The delay between a request and response
The size of memory
The speed of memory
The cost of memory
Which memory has the lowest latency?
Registers
Cache
RAM
Hard Disk
What is the CAS latency (CL) in DRAM?
The delay between the CAS signal and data output
The size of the memory
The speed of the memory
The type of memory
What is the typical latency of a hard disk drive?
Several milliseconds
Several nanoseconds
Several microseconds
Several seconds
What is MRAM?
Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory
Magnetic Random Access Memory
Memory Random Access Memory
Micro Random Access Memory
What is FRAM?
Ferroelectric Random Access Memory
Fast Random Access Memory
Flash Random Access Memory
Field Random Access Memory
What is PCM (Phase Change Memory)?
A non-volatile memory that uses phase change material
A type of volatile memory
A type of optical storage
A type of magnetic storage
What is ReRAM?
Resistive Random Access Memory
Read Random Access Memory
Rapid Random Access Memory
Regenerative Random Access Memory
Which memory technology is considered a potential replacement for DRAM?
PCM
MRAM
ReRAM
All of the above
What is the advantage of emerging memory technologies like MRAM?
Non-volatility and high speed
Lower cost than DRAM
Higher capacity than HDD
All of the above
What is ECC memory?
Error Correcting Code memory
Extended Cache Controller memory
Enhanced Capacity Cache memory
External Cache Control memory
What is the purpose of ECC memory?
To detect and correct memory errors
To increase memory speed
To increase memory capacity
To reduce power consumption
What is a parity bit?
An extra bit used for error detection
A bit used for data storage
A bit used for addressing
A bit used for speed
What is the difference between parity and ECC?
Parity detects errors; ECC detects and corrects errors
Parity corrects errors; ECC only detects errors
Both are the same
ECC is older than parity
What causes memory errors?
Alpha particles, cosmic rays, and hardware defects
Software bugs
Network failures
Power outages
What is a soft error in memory?
A transient error that can be corrected by rewriting data
A permanent hardware failure
A software bug
A network error
What is paging in operating systems?
A memory management technique that divides memory into fixed-size pages
A technique for file management
A technique for process scheduling
A technique for device management
What is segmentation in operating systems?
A memory management technique that divides memory into logical segments
A technique for file management
A technique for process scheduling
A technique for device management
What is the Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB)?
A cache for page table entries
A type of RAM
A type of ROM
A type of disk storage
What is a page table?
A data structure that maps virtual addresses to physical addresses
A table of files
A table of processes
A table of devices
What is demand paging?
Pages are loaded into memory only when needed
All pages are loaded at startup
Pages are loaded in sequence
Pages are loaded randomly
What is the working set of a process?
The set of pages actively used by the process
All pages allocated to the process
The set of files used by the process
The set of devices used by the process
Which memory is used to store the BIOS?
RAM
ROM
Cache
Register
What is the difference between primary and secondary memory?
Primary memory is volatile; secondary memory is non-volatile
Primary memory is non-volatile; secondary memory is volatile
Both are volatile
Both are non-volatile
What is the typical voltage used by DDR4 RAM?
1.2V
1.5V
1.8V
2.5V
What is the maximum capacity of DDR4 RAM per module?
64 GB
32 GB
16 GB
128 GB
What is mask ROM?
ROM that is programmed during manufacturing
ROM that can be programmed by the user
ROM that can be erased
ROM that is volatile
What is the cache coherency problem?
Inconsistency between cache and main memory
Cache being too small
Cache being too large
Cache being too slow
What is the average seek time of a typical HDD?
8-12 ms
1-2 ms
100-200 ms
1-2 seconds
What is the purpose of the MMU (Memory Management Unit)?
To translate virtual addresses to physical addresses
To manage files
To manage processes
To manage devices
What is the principle of locality?
Programs tend to access data and instructions in a localized area
Programs are executed sequentially
Programs are executed in parallel
Programs use all memory equally
What is the buddy system in memory management?
A memory allocation technique that splits memory into power-of-two blocks
A technique for file management
A technique for process scheduling
A technique for device management
What is the size of a typical memory word in modern computers?
32 bits or 64 bits
8 bits
16 bits
128 bits
What is the access time of cache memory typically?
1-10 nanoseconds
50-100 nanoseconds
1-10 microseconds
1-10 milliseconds
What is the typical endurance of an enterprise SSD?
10,000+ write cycles
1,000 write cycles
100 write cycles
Unlimited
What is the data transfer rate of a 16x DVD drive?
21.12 MB/s
16 MB/s
32 MB/s
64 MB/s
What is the typical RPM of a desktop HDD?
7200 RPM
5400 RPM
10,000 RPM
15,000 RPM
What is the speed of DDR4-3200 RAM?
3200 MT/s (megatransfers per second)
3200 MHz
3200 MB/s
3200 GB/s
What is the advantage of 3D NAND flash memory?
Higher density and lower cost per bit
Faster speed than planar NAND
Lower power consumption
All of the above
What is a chipkill ECC?
A type of ECC that can recover from multiple bit errors
A type of memory that kills chips
A type of memory that is not ECC
A type of memory that is volatile
What is the difference between a page and a frame?
A page is a logical block of virtual memory; a frame is a physical block of memory
A frame is a logical block; a page is a physical block
Both are the same
A page is larger than a frame