What is RAM in the context of computer
Answers
Put simply, the purpose of RAM is to provide quick read and write access to a storage device. Your computer uses RAM to load data because it's much quicker than running that same data directly off of a hard drive.
Think of RAM like an office desk. A desk is used for quick access to important documents, writing tools, and other items that you need right now. Without a desk, you'd keep everything stored in drawers and filing cabinets, meaning it would take much longer to do your everyday tasks since you would have to constantly reach into these storage compartments to get what you need, and then spend additional time putting them away.
Similarly, all the data you're actively using on your computer (or smartphone, tablet, etc.) is temporarily stored in RAM.
This type of memory, like a desk in the analogy, provides much faster read/write times than using a hard drive. Most hard drives are considerably slower than RAM due to physical limitations like rotation speed.