How does a memory chip select the correct location to read or write data?

A memory chip selects the correct location to read or write data through the use of specialized addressing and decoding circuitry.1

Within random-access memory (RAM), data is organized into unique memory locations, often grouped into "words" of 8 to 64 bits. Every word or byte is assigned a specific address. When the central processing unit (CPU) needs to access information, it provides an address to the memory system.21

The memory chip utilizes internal decoding circuits that interpret this address to identify and select the precise set of storage cells corresponding to that location. In modern computers, which utilize multiple memory chips to provide sufficient capacity, additional addressing circuitry is employed to select the specific chip required for a given address. Once the correct cells are selected, the chip can either store a value at that location or fetch the data currently stored there.1