Memory Visualization: Arrays vs. Linked Lists

Arrays (Contiguous): Require a single, unbroken block of memory large enough to hold all elements. This allows for fast O(1) access via index calculation (address = start_address + index * element_size). However, finding a large enough contiguous block can be difficult (leading to allocation failure) and resizing requires copying the entire array to a new, larger block.
Linked Lists (Non-Contiguous): Nodes can be stored anywhere in memory. Each node simply needs space for its data and a pointer to the next node's address. This provides flexibility in allocation and resizing, but accessing an element requires traversing the list from the head (O(n)).
Fragmentation: Over time, as memory is allocated and freed, the available free memory can become broken into many small, non-contiguous pieces (external fragmentation). Arrays might fail to allocate even if total free memory is sufficient, while linked lists can often still utilize these smaller fragmented blocks. Internal fragmentation (unused space within an allocated block) can also occur but is less visually demonstrated here.

Visual Demonstration