[Addison West]

Read-Only Memory, also known as (ROM) is a type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices. The data stored in it cannot be electronically modified after the manufacture of the memory device. Random Access Memory known as (RAM) is the temporary storage space used by the operating system and applications to pass information to the CPU for processing. One of the key differences between the two is how one memory is volatile and one memory is not. As stated previously, ROM is non-volatile, this means all the stored data is lost when the computer is powered off. However, RAM is volatile, meaning all the stored data is retained even when the computer is powered off.

Another key difference is the speed at which RAM and ROM work. RAM is much faster than ROM when it comes to enabling quick access to programs and certain files. While ROM is much slower because it is mainly used to store fixed instructions that do not need regular access. These instructions that are stored tend to consist of information required for booting the computer, such as BIOS or UEFI firmware. Another discrepancy between the two is their sizes. RAM typically ranges anywhere from 1 GB to 256 GB in modern day computers, depending on the system requirements. On the other hand, ROM has a much smaller capacity compared to RAM. ROM often varies anywhere between 4-8MB, which is more than sufficient for storing firmware. Overall, both ROM and RAM have many differences but play very important roles in their own ways.