Memory & Storage: Crash Course Computer Science

The video explores the evolution of computer memory and storage technologies, from early punch cards to modern solid state drives. It explains the differences between volatile and non-volatile memory, and highlights key developments such as delay line memory, magnetic core memory, and hard disk drives. The video also discusses the concept of memory hierarchy and the transition to optical and solid state storage, emphasizing the exponential decrease in cost and increase in storage capacity over time.

What is the main characteristic of volatile memory?

• It is more expensive than non-volatile memory.

• It loses data when power is turned off.

• It is slower than non-volatile memory.

• It retains data even when power is lost.

Which of the following was a limitation of punch cards?

• They required a lot of power.

• They were slow and write-once.

• They could be easily rewritten.

• They were expensive to produce.

What was a significant drawback of delay line memory?

• It was faster than magnetic core memory.

• It was too expensive to produce.

• It allowed random access to data.

• It could only read one bit at a time.

What was a key advantage of magnetic core memory over delay line memory?

• It allowed random access to any bit.

• It was faster than solid-state drives.

• It was cheaper to produce.

• It required no electrical power.

Why did magnetic core memory become obsolete?

• It could not store enough data for modern needs.

• It was replaced by cheaper RAM integrated circuits.

• It was too slow compared to delay line memory.

• It was too complex to manufacture.

What was a major disadvantage of magnetic tape storage?

• It was not suitable for archiving.

• It could not store more than a few kilobytes.

• It was very expensive.

• It had slow access speeds due to sequential access.

How did hard disk drives improve upon magnetic drum memory?

• They had fewer moving parts.

• They were more expensive to produce.

• They allowed for faster random access.

• They used a larger cylinder for storage.

What is a key feature of solid-state drives (SSDs) compared to hard disk drives?

• They are more expensive per bit than core memory.

• They have faster access times due to no moving parts.

• They are slower than hard disk drives.

• They have moving parts.

What is the main advantage of optical storage over magnetic storage?

• It uses magnetic fields to store data.

• It has faster access times than SSDs.

• It is cheaper to produce.

• It uses light to read and write data.

What trend is observed in memory and storage technologies since the 1940s?

• Technologies have become less reliable.

• Storage capacities have decreased.

• Costs have increased significantly.

• Costs have decreased while capacities have increased.