1. Why do computers generate heat?

Electronic components like CPUs and GPUs process billions of calculations per second. This activity consumes electrical power, much of which is converted to heat due to resistance in semiconductor materials. Without dissipation, temperatures can soar to 60–100°C+, risking damage.

2. What is a heat sink?

A heat sink is a metal device (usually aluminum/copper) attached to hot components. Its fins increase surface area, while thermal paste fills microscopic gaps to transfer heat away from the chip efficiently.

3. How does it cool components?

Conduction: Heat moves from the chip to the metal base.

Convection: Fins dissipate heat into the air.

Active Cooling: Often paired with fans to accelerate airflow (passive heat sinks lack fans).

4. What happens without a heat sink?

Thermal Throttling: Components slow down to avoid damage, causing lag.

System Crashes: Sudden shutdowns to prevent permanent failure.

Reduced Lifespan: Sustained high temperatures degrade silicon over time.

5. Which parts need heat sinks most?

CPUs/GPUs: High-power processors.

Voltage Regulators (VRMs): Power delivery circuits on motherboards.

SSDs/NVMe Drives: Fast storage chips under heavy loads.

6. Are heat sinks always necessary?

Low-power devices (e.g., Raspberry Pi) may utilize passive sinks, but high-performance systems (such as gaming PCs and servers) require robust active cooling. Modern chips can hit thermal limits in seconds without proper cooling.

Key Takeaway: Heat sinks prevent catastrophic overheating by moving heat away from critical components, ensuring stability, performance, and longevity. Without them, computers would fail within minutes under load.

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