Eric's computer slows down when he opens several programs because it likely has limited RAM (Random Access Memory). RAM is the short-term memory that temporarily holds data for active programs. When many programs are open at once, the RAM gets filled quickly. Once the RAM is full, the computer starts using storage space (like a hard drive) as virtual memory, which is much slower. This process causes the computer to slow down because accessing data from storage takes longer than from RAM. Additionally, running multiple programs divides the CPU's processing power among them, further slowing overall performance.

Key Reasons for Slowdown

• Limited RAM : Insufficient RAM cannot handle data for all open programs, forcing slow virtual memory use.
• CPU Overload : The processor must divide its capacity among many tasks, reducing speed per program.
• Storage Usage : Using slower hard drive storage for memory impacts responsiveness negatively.

Thus, Eric’s slowdown is due to his computer's hardware limitations, primarily insufficient RAM to support multiple programs simultaneously.