heat sink
A component designed to lower the temperature of an electronic device by dissipating heat into the surrounding air. All modern CPUs require a heat sink. Some also require a fan. A heat sink without a fan is called a passive heat sink; a heat sink with a fan is called an active heat sink.Heat sinks are generally made of an aluminum alloy and often have fins.
WEBOPEDIA NEWS
Stay up to date on the latest developments in Internet terminology with a free newsletter from Webopedia. Join to subscribe now.