What are Heat Sinks?
When electricity runs through a circuit, it produces heat. Heat is dangerous to computer components, so parts which get particularly hot use heat sinks to dissipate the heat that they create. Generally, the central processing unit (CPU), the main chip that runs a personal computer, is the most likely part to require a heat sink. Some graphics cards also use their own heat sinks to dissipate heat, particularly if they are very powerful.
