A persistent cookie is a cookie which is stored in a cookie file permanently on the browser's computer. By default, cookies are created as temporary cookies which stored only in the browser's memory. When the browser is closed, temporary cookies will be erased. You should decide when to use temporary cookies and when to use persistent cookies based on their differences: *Temporary cookies can not be used for tracking long-term information. *Persistent cookies can be used for tracking long-term information. *Temporary cookies are safer because no programs other than the browser can access them. *Persistent cookies are less secure because users can open cookie files see the cookie values.
In short - Session is mechanism of storing temporary values in the server
Php.net explanation
Session support in PHP consists of a way to preserve certain data across subsequent accesses. This enables you to build more customized applications and increase the appeal of your web site.
A visitor accessing your web site is assigned a unique id, the so-called session id. This is either stored in a cookie on the user side or is propagated in the URL.