Final answer:
When committed memory exceeds physical RAM, the computer may slow down due to increased reliance on virtual memory, and it's advised to close unnecessary applications to free up memory.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the committed value of memory usage exceeds the amount of physical RAM in a computer, several things can happen, but the operating system will not allocate additional physical RAM, as this is not possible. Instead, here are the implications of each option:
- B) Your computer may slow down due to increased reliance on virtual memory. When physical RAM is insufficient, the system uses a portion of the hard drive as a virtual memory or swap space, which is significantly slower than RAM.
- F) You should close unnecessary background applications to free up memory and reduce the committed value, potentially improving system performance.
- D) While the computer will attempt to automatically optimize memory usage to an extent, this does not mean additional RAM will be allocated, as RAM is a physical component and cannot be increased without physically adding more.
Options A and E are incorrect because the operating system cannot allocate additional RAM beyond what is physically installed (A), and performance is typically affected when the system relies on virtual memory due to slower access times (E). Option C suggests an immediate need to upgrade RAM, which might be a solution but not necessarily required as an immediate action. Therefore, the most accurate response would be B, the computer may slow down due to increased reliance on virtual memory, and F, suggesting closing unnecessary applications to manage memory more efficiently.