What describes the behavior of volatile memory when power is lost?

Volatile memory, such as RAM (Random Access Memory), loses all stored data when the power is turned off or lost. This characteristic is a fundamental trait of volatile memory types, making them suitable for temporary data storage while the computer is powered on. The primary role of volatile memory is to provide fast access to data that is actively being used by the processor, but it cannot retain that data without continuous power. This is in contrast to non-volatile memory, like hard drives or SSDs, which are designed to retain information even when power is lost.

The other options describe behaviors that do not align with the fundamental nature of volatile memory; it does not keep data permanently, nor does it retain any data for a period after power loss, nor does it have an idle state that affects its operation in the context of power interruption.