What is used when RAM capacity is exceeded?

When RAM capacity is exceeded, intermediate storage is utilized as a way to manage data that cannot be held in RAM due to capacity limitations. Intermediate storage typically refers to temporary storage solutions like disk swapping or paging, where data that is not actively being used in RAM can be moved to a slower form of storage such as a hard drive or SSD. This allows the system to free up RAM for active processes and ensures that total memory demands do not exceed physical limitations.

Using intermediate storage is essential for maintaining system performance and preventing crashes when applications require more memory than what is available in RAM. This allows for a smoother user experience as it enables multitasking and running larger applications without immediate hardware upgrades.

In contrast, options such as flash memory, EEPROM, and non-volatile memory, while related to storage solutions, are typically slower than RAM and are used for different purposes, such as permanent data storage and firmware retention. They are not designed to serve as immediate extensions of RAM capacity. Thus, intermediate storage is the correct choice in scenarios where RAM is at its limit, as it directly addresses the need for temporary data management without losing critical functionality.