Volatile and non-volatile memory

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. A computer is switched off. What happens to the data stored in RAM?

A It is lost, because RAM is volatile

B It is kept, because RAM is non-volatile

2. Which statement describes non-volatile memory?

A It loses its data when the power is off

B It keeps its data when the power is off

3. Which type of memory is ROM?

A Non-volatile

B Volatile

4. Which of these is volatile?

A RAM

B SSD

5. You save a school project to a USB drive and unplug it. Is the file still there?

A No, because flash storage is volatile

B Yes, because flash storage is non-volatile

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1volatile		ASSD = non-volatile
2non-volatile		BMemory that keeps its data even when there is no power
3Memory that is wiped when you switch the computer off		CROM is non-volatile. It keeps its contents without power, which is why it can store the start-up instructions.
4A saved file is still there after the computer is shut down		DMemory that loses its contents when the power is turned off
5ROM = volatile		ERAM is volatile. Its data is lost when the power is removed, so unsaved work disappears.
6RAM = non-volatile		FRAM = volatile

Definitions

volatile memory

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

RAM is ________ memory

ROM is ____________ memory

IF power = ___ THEN RAM loses its data

SSD is non-volatile _________ storage

RAM: volatile ___: non-volatile SSD: non-volatile

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A power ← "off"

B SSD_data ← "lost"

C OUTPUT SSD_data

Question 2

A kinds = {}

B kinds["RAM"] = "volatile"

C kinds["ROM"] = "non-volatile"

D kinds["SSD"] = "volatile"

Question 3

A memory = "ROM"

B holds_boot_program = True

C volatile = True

Question 4

A ram_volatile = False

B rom_volatile = False

C print(ram_volatile)

Question 5

A volatile = ["RAM"]

B non_volatile = ["ROM", "SSD"]

C item = "ROM"

D if item in volatile:

E print("Keeps data")

Answer Key

Volatile and non-volatile memory

Section A: Quick Questions

A — It is lost, because RAM is volatile

B — It keeps its data when the power is off

A — Non-volatile

A — RAM

B — Yes, because flash storage is non-volatile

Section B: Match the Pairs

volatile → Memory that loses its contents when the power is turned off

non-volatile → Memory that keeps its data even when there is no power

Memory that is wiped when you switch the computer off → RAM = volatile

A saved file is still there after the computer is shut down → SSD = non-volatile

ROM = volatile → ROM is non-volatile. It keeps its contents without power, which is why it can store the start-up instructions.

RAM = non-volatile → RAM is volatile. Its data is lost when the power is removed, so unsaved work disappears.

Section C: Definitions

volatile memory — Memory that loses its contents when the power is off, like RAM. Non-volatile memory, like ROM and SSDs, keeps its data without power.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

RAM is volatile memory

ROM is non-volatile memory

IF power = OFF THEN RAM loses its data

SSD is non-volatile secondary storage

RAM: volatile
ROM: non-volatile
SSD: non-volatile

Section E: Spot the Error

B — An SSD is non-volatile, so its data is kept when the power is off. The line should set SSD_data to "kept".

D — An SSD is secondary storage that keeps its data without power, so it is non-volatile. It should be "non-volatile".

C — ROM is non-volatile because it keeps its contents without power. volatile should be False.

A — RAM is volatile because it loses its contents when the power is off. ram_volatile should be True.

D — ROM is in the non-volatile list, not the volatile list. The test should check item in non_volatile so that "Keeps data" is printed.