What are the two kinds of storage mentioned in the chapter, and how do they differ?
The two kinds of storage mentioned are primary storage and secondary storage. Primary storage consists of memory chips that require electric power to store data, while secondary storage, such as a hard disk, provides persistent storage without the need for electricity.
Primary storage is made from memory chips, which are electronic circuits that can store data as long as they are supplied with electric power. This type of storage is volatile, meaning that it loses its data when the power is turned off. Secondary storage, on the other hand, is usually a hard disk that provides non-volatile storage. It consists of rotating platters coated with magnetic material and read/write heads that can detect and change the magnetic flux on the platters. This allows data to be stored persistently even when the power is off.
Key points
- Primary storage uses memory chips and requires electric power.
- Secondary storage is typically a hard disk and does not need electricity to maintain data.
- Primary storage is volatile; it loses data without power.
- Secondary storage is non-volatile; it retains data without power.
- Hard disks use magnetic platters and read/write heads for data storage.
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C++ for Everyone
Cay S Horstmann
Second edition · John Wiley & Sons, Inc.