Identification

• Physical memory refers to the actual memory chips or modules that a person can see, remove or replace inside a computer. Physical memory is also known as "real" memory or "main." Virtual memory is also known as page file.
  
  

Function

• Unlike physical memory, virtual memory is a system process. Virtual memory uses the dark disk to store data, allowing seamless data transfer between the physical memory (RAM) and the hard disk.
  
  

Benefits

• According to the Science Encyclopedia, virtual memory gives the appearance that a computer has more memory than it actually does and allows a computer to more efficiently operate multiple programs.
  
  

Considerations

• The size of the dark disk limits the amount of virtual memory on a system; whereas, the type of motherboard limits the type and size of physical memory that a computer can handle.
  
  

Size

• Computer users can adjust the amount of hard disk space they wish to allocate to virtual memory under the "Advanced" tab of the "System" properties tool in the Control Panel.