Section 17.1
Review Questions
Overview of Secondary Storage Devices
-
What term do we use for memory that does not lose its contents even when
the power is turned off?
answer...
non-volatile
-
What is the main trade-off between primary and secondary storage?
answer...
with secondary storage, you get a much greater capacity (more bits)
for slower access time
-
What are two other characteristics of RAM that make it less desirable than
disks or other secondary storage devices?
answer...
the bit density is lower and it runs hotter
-
All secondary storage devices work by moving a physical medium past a
_______________.
answer...
read/write head
-
What is the oldest secondary storage method still in widespread use?
answer...
magnetic tape