--- title: "Explain the difference between RAM and ROM?" description: "Explain the difference between RAM and ROM?" author: "Sandra Emily" published: 2022-05-09 canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/97220/explain-the-difference-between-ram-and-rom category: "troubleshooting" tags: ["troubleshooting", "computer hardware", "computers"] reading_time: 2 minutes --- # Explain the difference between RAM and ROM? [Explain the difference](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/158865/explain-the-difference-between-a-shallow-copy-and-a-deep-copy-in-python) between [RAM](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/10892/how-to-find-ram-size) and [ROM](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/157710/what-is-the-difference-between-ram-and-rom-in-a-microprocessor)? ## Answers ### Answer by Hitesh Vohra - Your computer has both RAM and ROM, which stands for random access memory and read-only memory, respectively. - RAM is volatile memory that holds the files you're working on briefly. Non-volatile memory (ROM) is used to store instructions for your computer permanently. - **RAM** is volatile [**memory**](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/50932/how-to-fix-iphone-7-plus-that-keeps-prompting-memory-errors-after-implementing-new-ios-update), which means that when you restart or shut down your computer, the information temporarily held in the module is destroyed. Because the data is stored electrically on transistors, it vanishes when there is no electric current. When you request a file or piece of information, it is either fetched from the computer's hard drive or from the internet. Because the information is saved in RAM, it is instantaneously available when you transition from one programme or page to another. - **Non-volatile memory (ROM)** is information that is permanently stored on a chip. Data is written to individual cells using binary code rather than relying on an electric current to save it. Non-volatile memory is used for elements of the computer that do not change, such as the software's initial boot-up phase or the firmware instructions that allow your printer to function. \ **Read More: [What is computer motherboard?](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/97218/what-is-computer-motherboard)** --- Original Source: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/97220/explain-the-difference-between-ram-and-rom Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.