mäluaadressiruumist

Mäluaadressiruumist is an Estonian term that translates to "memory address space" in English. It refers to the set of all possible addresses that a computer's processor can reference. In essence, it is a map that the CPU uses to locate and access data and instructions stored in the computer's memory.

Each byte of memory in a computer is assigned a unique address. The memory address space is the complete collection of these addresses, typically represented as a range of numerical values. The size of the memory address space is determined by the number of bits the processor uses to represent an address. For example, a 32-bit processor can address 2^32 unique memory locations, resulting in a memory address space of 4 gigabytes. A 64-bit processor, on the other hand, can address a vastly larger space.

Operating systems manage the memory address space, allocating portions of it to different programs and processes. This management is crucial for preventing conflicts where multiple programs try to access the same memory location simultaneously. Techniques like virtual memory allow the operating system to create an illusion of a larger memory space than physically available, by swapping data between RAM and secondary storage. Understanding the memory address space is fundamental to comprehending how computer programs execute and interact with hardware.