Final answer:
The accurate description of memory is that a computer requires a sufficient amount of memory to operate. Memory involves encoding, storage, and retrieval, and is not used for permanent storage in computers but is for long-term storage in human cognition.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that accurately describes memory is that a computer can only run programs if it has a sufficient amount of memory. Memory is used by a computing system to temporarily store and access data as it works; without enough memory, a computer cannot perform its functions effectively. Operating systems use Random Access Memory (RAM), not Read-Only Memory (ROM), for their memory requirements. Additionally, all types of computers, not just PCs, come equipped with memory modules. Memory is not used for permanent storage; that role is filled by storage devices like hard drives or solid-state drives. Long-term memory, in the context of human cognition, refers to the memory stage where information is stored permanently after passing through sensory and short-term memory stages.
Understanding Memory in Computers and the Human Brain
In the Atkinson-Shiffrin model, memory goes through distinct stages: sensory, short-term, and finally, long-term memory. Memory has three primary functions: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is how information gets into the memory system, storage is the retention of information, and retrieval is how information is brought back into conscious awareness. In comparison to explicit memory, which involves conscious recollection of information, implicit memory refers to the memories we are not consciously aware of but that affect our behavior or knowledge.