Where do program instructions load when a program starts?

When a program starts, the program instructions load into memory. This is because memory, specifically the Random Access Memory (RAM), is designed for fast read and write access, which is essential for the operating system and the CPU to quickly execute instructions. When the CPU processes a program, it needs immediate access to the program's instructions and data, which is facilitated by storing them in memory.

Loading the program into memory allows the CPU to efficiently manage and execute the program's code because it can access the information much faster than if it were still on a hard disk drive. When applications are executed, the operating system handles the transition from the storage device (like a hard disk drive) to memory so that the CPU can perform operations without dealing with the slower access times of storage media.

The other options, while related to computing, do not serve the primary function of loading program instructions. The hard disk drive is used for long-term storage of data, while the GPU plays a specialized role in rendering graphics and video processing. Cache memory is a smaller, high-speed storage area that holds frequently accessed data and is closer to the CPU, but it does not contain the entire program instructions when a program initializes. Thus, memory is the correct answer for where program instructions load