Volatile memory is best described as:

• A. Permanent memory
• B. Stores instructions waiting to be executed
• C. Network storage
• D. Temporary memory, loses all contents once the computer is shut off

Answer: (D)

Volatile memory is memory that needs power to keep its contents. It holds data the processor is actively using, such as running programs and the data those programs work with, but all of it is lost as soon as power is removed. That makes it temporary storage, which is exactly what this option describes. In contrast, non-volatile memory retains information without power, and network storage refers to data kept elsewhere. Saying it stores instructions waiting to be executed is a description of how RAM can be used, but it doesn’t capture the defining trait of volatility—losing data when the computer is shut off.