Hello, friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today’s tutorial, we will have a look at the full form of RAM, its practical implementation, applications, and uses. The full form of RAM is random access memory. In 1947, the first time in the world, RAM was created by Freddie Williams, and its name was Williams tubes due to its inventor. Data storage was done by this ram in the form of charged particles on the surface of the cathode ray tube. This memory was called random access, as the electron beam produced by the cathode ray tube can read the electrically charged data in any order. The data storage capacity of this first RAM was about a hundred to a thousand bits, but its operating speed and less power-consuming capacity were better than the older vacuum tube latches.
Ultrasonic delay lines, relays, and mechanical counters were used in computers as a memory before the invention of random access memory. Delay lines can only generate data in a sequence as it was stored. In 1947 Frederick Vehe invented the magnetic core memory type of RAM, and it was the second most used memory. For data storage in this magnetic core memory, metallic rings and wire were used. Only a single bit is stored in a single ring and can get at any time. The random access memory we are now using was created by Robert Dennard in 1968 and is known as solid-state memory, also called dynamic random access memory (DRAM). In today’s post, we will have a look at its working and comparison with other memory storage and applications. So let’s get started with the full form of RAM.
Full Form of RAM
The word RAM stands for random access memory, used to store information and data provided to a computer, and can be read in any sequence or order.
Either different data location RAM allows us to read/write stored data at the same time.
But in other data storage devices such as compact disks (CDs), hard disks, and DVDs, it is not possible to read and write data simultaneously. This difference is due to data rotation speed and arm movement limitations.
To read and write random access memory and link data lines with the addressed storage, it has multiplex and demultiplex circuits.
Normally more than one bit can be accessed by a similar address, and random access normally contains numerous data lines, so it is called an eight-bit or sixteen-bit RAM.
Nowadays RAM is available in the shape of ICS, having memory cells created with metal oxide semiconductors.
Random-access memory is also known as volatile memory, as it holds data until the computer is on, as powered-off data will be lost.
But other volatile memory also has been introduced, called ROM (read-only memory).
Types of RAM
There are 2 main types of random access memory.
DRAM
SRAM
DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)
DRAM stands for dynamic random access memory. The word “dynamic” in the name of RAM tells that data will be lost as it is refreshed.
Dynamic random access memory used in computers, laptops, and mobile. As we watch different ads on televisions in which we see that this mobile or computer has four GB RAM or sixteen GB RAM, it means this is the dynamic random access memory.
In modern computers DRAM used is synchronous DRAM, or SDRAM. At the RAM of a computer, you have ever seen the terms DDR, DDR2, DDR3, etc., and all these explanations about the transfer of data in a single clock cycle.
If any computing device has large numbers of random access memories, its operating speed will be large.
SDRAM
As dynamic random access memory works as the main memory of the system, while for a cache of computers, static random access memory is used.
Due to its static behavior, it does not need to be refreshed as dynamic RAM needs a refresh process numerous times in one second.
So the operation speed of static random access memory is larger than the dynamic RAM.
But the RAM, either SRAM or DRAM, is volatile and loses data as the power is turned off.
Difference between SDRAM and DRAM
- Now compare both SRAM and DRAM and find their differences.
SRAM | DRAM |
| Its operation speed is high than the DRAM. | Its speed is less |
| Its physical structure is small than the DRAM | Its size is large |
| Its price is high | Its price is lower. |
| It used in cache memory | It used as main memory |
| Its density is less | Its density is large |
| Its construction is complicated and numerous transistors and latches. | Its construction is simple and used some transistors and capacitors |
| In its single block has 6 transistor | It has only one transistor |
| Its power consumption is less | It uses a large amount of power |
Difference between ROM and RAM
- Let’s discuss the difference between RAM and ROM and compare them.
RAM | ROM |
| Random-access memory is to read and write memory. | It is only read memory. |
| It stores data temporarily. | It stores data permanently |
| It is a volatile memory | It is non-volatile |
| It stands for random access memory | Its full form is a read-only memory |
| RAM provides features to change the data. | In ROM data can not be varied |
| Its data storage capacity is from sixty-four MB to four GB | Rom storage memory is less than the ram |
| Its price is high | It is less expensive |
| SRAM and DRAM are types of RAM | EPROM, EEPROM are types of ROM |
Difference between RAM and Hard Disk
- Now we compare the random access memory and hard disk and find their differences.
RAM | HDD |
| Full form of RAM is random access memory | The full form of HDD is a hard disk drive. |
| RAM is also called primary memory. | HDD is also known as secondary memory. |
| There is no mechanical part RAM has but only has electronic components like a transistor. | It has movable mechanical parts like arms. |
| Read and write time of RAM is less | Its read-write time is larger than the RAM. |
| Every element of RAM can be accessed in the same time. | While it’s every element take different times to access. |
| Its price is high. | Its price is less. |
| During its operation, it does make any sound | Due to mechanical components, it makes a sound during its operation. |
| Data stores in RAM only for the time power is on and will be removed as power off. | It stores data permanently. |
Applications of RAM
These are some applications of random access memory.
Virtual Memory
Nowadays a different method used to increase the capacity of random access memory is called virtual memory.
RAM Disk
Different software are used to divide the RAM of a computer into sub-parts for an increment of RAM speed; this is called a RAM disk.
The RAM disk also loses the data as power turns off.
RAM Working
RAM is analogous to a series of boxes where every box stores 0 or 1. Each box comes with a certain address that is defined by counting over columns and down rows.
The collection of RAM boxes is an array, and each box is denoted with a cell. The RAM controller transfers column and row addresses in a small electrical wire defined to the chip for locating certain cells.
For the RAM array, each row and column is dedicated to a certain address line.
The retrieved date is given back to a different data line.
RAM is a compact design and stored on microchips. It is limited to the quantity of data stored. The normal laptop has 8 GB of RAM, and the hard drive comes with 10 TB.
RAM vs. Flash Memory
These two use solid-state semiconductors. But it has different functions for computer systems since it has different designs, costs, and operating standards.
Flash memory is used for data storage. RAM works as active memory that processes data obtained from storage.
The basic difference between RAM and flash memory is that data is completely wiped in blocks from flash memory. Flash memory is slower than RAM, and bits can be deleted.
Flash memory is lower cost and less volatile than RAM. It saves data when power is not connected as compared to RAM. Flash memory is used for longer-term storage and reduces speed and cost with its non-volatile nature.
So friends, that is the detailed post on the full form of RAM. I have written each and every parameter related to RAM. If you have any queries about the full form of Ram and its other parameters, ask in the comments. See you in the next tutorial. Thanks for reading. Have a good day.
