What is "virtual memory"?

Virtual memory is a crucial memory management technique that enhances the operational capabilities of a computer system by utilizing disk space as an extension of RAM. When a system runs out of physical RAM, virtual memory enables it to temporarily transfer some data from RAM to a reserved space on the hard drive or SSD, thus allowing larger applications to run even if there isn’t enough physical memory available.

This process involves the operating system managing the allocation of this virtual space and swapping data in and out of the RAM as needed, creating an illusion of a larger memory pool. It effectively allows for more efficient multitasking, as processes can continue to function with additional data stored in this slower but larger disk space. This becomes especially important in systems running multiple applications simultaneously or when handling large datasets.

The other options do not accurately define virtual memory. Hardware components related to cache memory focus on data access speed, while advanced RAM types refer to physical memory characteristics rather than management techniques. Additionally, cloud storage pertains to external memory access rather than local memory management through disk space.