What happens to information stored in secondary storage?

The correct answer highlights a key characteristic of secondary storage. Information stored in secondary storage, such as hard drives, SSDs, or external drives, is designed for long-term retention of data. Unlike primary storage, which is volatile and loses its content when the power is turned off, secondary storage maintains data even after the computer is shut down. This makes it essential for preserving files, documents, applications, and other important information that users need to access at a later time.

The other choices emphasize different attributes of storage types. The statement about being temporary and lost after processing pertains to primary storage, which indeed loses information when power is lost. The comparison to primary storage regarding speed is accurate, as secondary storage typically has longer access times compared to the faster primary storage components like RAM. Lastly, stating that it requires constant power refers to volatile memory, such as RAM, which needs power to maintain its stored information, further contrasting with the non-volatile nature of secondary storage.