ELI5 RAM - What is it and how does it work?

RAM is like a desk in your brain for a computer.

Imagine you are doing homework. You spread your books, papers, and pencils on your desk. Everything you need right now is right there. You can grab it fast. That desk is like RAM. 

RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It is where your computer keeps things it is using right now. This includes apps, games, websites, and files you are working on at the moment. Your computer also has long term storage, like a hard drive or SSD. That storage is like a backpack or a filing cabinet. It holds everything when you are not using it. It is safe, but slower to reach. When you open a game or an app, the computer takes it out of storage and puts it onto the desk. That desk is RAM.

The bigger the desk, the more things you can spread out at once. If you have lots of RAM, your computer can keep many apps open without slowing down. You can switch between them quickly. If you have very little RAM, the desk gets crowded. The computer then has to keep putting things back into the backpack and pulling them out again. That takes time. This is why computers feel slow when RAM is full. RAM is very fast. It is much faster than long term storage. That speed helps your computer feel smooth and responsive when you click, type, or play games.

There is one important thing about RAM. It forgets everything when the power turns off. When you shut down your computer, the desk gets wiped clean. That is why unsaved work can disappear. Long term storage remembers things even when the power is off. RAM does not. This is also why opening a program takes longer than switching back to it. Opening means pulling it from storage and placing it on the desk. Switching means it is already sitting there, ready to use. More RAM does not make your computer smarter. It just gives it more space to work comfortably. Think of it like a bigger table, not a faster brain.

In short, RAM is short term memory for your computer. It holds what you are using right now. It is fast, temporary, and very important for smooth performance.