Definition
Physical Memory
Physical Memory (or Main Memory) is the hardware storage array addressable by the processor. It holds the instructions and data currently in use.
Mapping
In systems with virtual memory, the memory management unit (MMU) translates virtual addresses to physical addresses. Accessing data not currently in physical memory triggers a page fault.
Content
Physical memory contains:
- The Operating System (Kernel code and data).
- Active segments of User Processes.