What is memory fragmentation?

Memory fragmentation refers to a situation where free memory is divided into small, non-contiguous blocks, which makes it difficult to allocate larger sections of memory to processes. This usually happens over time as processes are loaded and unloaded from memory, leading to free segments of memory that are not adjacent to one another. As a result, while there might be enough total free memory available, the non-contiguous nature of these blocks can prevent the allocation of memory for new processes that require contiguous segments, thereby negatively affecting system performance and efficiency.

The distinction between contiguous and non-contiguous memory allocation is critical in understanding memory management in operating systems. Non-contiguous free blocks mean that even if there is sufficient total memory, it cannot be effectively utilized, leading to wasted space and potential allocation failures.

Thus, the correct characterization of memory fragmentation is that it involves the division of free memory into small, non-contiguous blocks, impacting the ability to maximize memory usage.