What type of memory does the CPU directly access?

RAM is the type of memory that the CPU (Central Processing Unit) directly accesses while performing tasks. It is a temporary storage space that holds data and instructions that the CPU needs right now or in the near future. This memory is extremely fast compared to other types of storage and allows the CPU to read and write data quickly, which is essential for the overall speed and performance of a computer.

When a program is opened, the operating system loads the program’s instructions and necessary data from the hard disk into RAM. From there, the CPU can access this information directly and much faster than it could from storage devices like hard disks or SSDs.