july 3 - cooling

Which cooling method involves no moving parts and relies entirely on heat dissipation through metal contact? A. Active cooling B. Liquid cooling C. Passive cooling D. Hybrid cooling

C. Passive cooling. Passive cooling uses components like heatsinks or thermal pads without fans or pumps, relying on natural convection and conduction to dissipate heat.

What component is most responsible for transferring heat from the CPU to the heatsink? A. Thermal pad B. Fan C. Thermal paste D. Heat pipe

C. Thermal paste. Thermal paste fills microscopic gaps between the CPU and heatsink to maximize heat transfer efficiency.

Which type of fan connector allows for automatic speed control by the motherboard? A. 2-pin B. 3-pin C. 4-pin PWM D. SATA

C. 4-pin PWM. The fourth pin allows for pulse-width modulation (PWM), enabling dynamic fan speed control based on temperature sensors.

What is the primary function of heat pipes in a CPU cooler? A. Cool down the fan B. Increase voltage C. Transfer heat efficiently D. Generate airflow

C. Transfer heat efficiently. Heat pipes use phase-change technology to rapidly move heat from the heat source to cooling fins.

Which type of cooler is best for small form factor builds with restricted airflow? A. Large tower air cooler B. Custom water loop C. Low-profile air cooler D. Passive heatsink

C. Low-profile air cooler. These are compact and designed for tight spaces, offering decent cooling in restricted environments.

What airflow configuration helps prevent dust buildup inside a case? A. Negative pressure B. Positive pressure C. Neutral pressure D. Cross pressure

B. Positive pressure. More intake than exhaust prevents unfiltered air (and dust) from being sucked through case gaps.

Which component must be replaced periodically to maintain cooling efficiency? A. Case B. Thermal paste C. Fan hub D. Heat pipe

B. Thermal paste. Over time, thermal paste can dry out and lose conductivity, requiring reapplication to maintain heat transfer.

Which scenario would most likely require liquid cooling over air cooling? A. Office PC B. HTPC C. High-end gaming PC D. Budget build

C. High-end gaming PC. Liquid cooling is often used in systems with high-performance CPUs and GPUs that generate more heat.

Which cooling system component is responsible for pushing coolant through a liquid loop? A. Reservoir B. Radiator C. Pump D. Fins

C. Pump. The pump circulates the coolant through the system to carry heat away from the components.

In a liquid cooling setup, what is the function of the radiator? A. Store coolant B. Create pressure C. Dissipate heat D. Filter fluid

C. Dissipate heat. Radiators expose heated coolant to airflow to transfer heat to the surrounding air.

Which device helps prevent thermal throttling in a laptop? A. GPU fan B. CPU power cable C. Heat pipe D. Liquid loop

C. Heat pipe. Heat pipes transfer heat away from the CPU to prevent overheating and performance reduction.

Where should intake fans ideally be placed in a desktop PC case? A. Rear top B. Front bottom C. Side panel D. PSU chamber

B. Front bottom. Intake fans are most effective when placed near the bottom front, drawing cool air into the case.

Which of the following is true of thermal pads? A. Reusable B. Require application pressure C. Liquid-based D. Require frequent replacement

B. Require application pressure. Thermal pads are solid materials that transfer heat when compressed between surfaces.

What tool is best for removing dust from a heatsink without damaging components? A. Vacuum cleaner B. Damp cloth C. Compressed air D. Metal brush

C. Compressed air. It safely removes dust from tight spaces without risking static discharge or physical damage.

Which of these would be MOST compatible with a CPU with 125W TDP in a mini-ITX case? A. Large tower cooler B. Stock Intel cooler C. Low-profile heatpipe cooler D. Passive aluminum block

C. Low-profile heatpipe cooler. It balances high thermal performance and compact dimensions, ideal for high TDP CPUs in tight spaces.

What is the primary concern when installing a large aftermarket CPU cooler? A. BIOS version B. Drive compatibility C. Case clearance D. Operating system version

C. Case clearance. Large coolers may not physically fit in smaller or narrower cases.

Which maintenance task is most important after frequent system overheating? A. Format the drive B. Update OS C. Replace thermal paste D. Add RAM

C. Replace thermal paste. Overheating may stem from dried or ineffective thermal compound, which degrades over time.

Match the cooling component to its function: Heatsink – Radiator – Pump – Thermal paste. A. Transfers heat from CPU – Dissipates heat in liquid loop – Moves liquid – Fills gaps for conduction

A. Heatsink: Transfers heat from CPU – Radiator: Dissipates heat in liquid loop – Pump: Moves liquid – Thermal paste: Fills gaps for conduction.

PBQ: Your gaming PC shuts down after 10 minutes of high usage. Temps read 95°C. What should you check first? A. PSU wattage B. Fan direction C. Thermal paste D. SSD health

C. Thermal paste. High temps under load often indicate poor heat transfer, usually due to aged or misapplied thermal paste.

Which BIOS setting allows you to reduce fan noise while maintaining safe temperatures? A. Secure Boot B. Fan curve adjustment C. XMP profile D. TPM toggle

B. Fan curve adjustment. It controls how fan speed ramps up based on system temperature, balancing noise and cooling.

How does thermal throttling protect CPUs? A. Increases power draw B. Disables fans C. Lowers clock speeds D. Boosts voltage

C. Lowers clock speeds. When temps rise too high, the CPU reduces speed to avoid heat damage.

Which liquid cooling component temporarily holds excess coolant? A. Radiator B. Pump C. Reservoir D. Fan

C. Reservoir. It stores extra coolant to maintain system pressure and support refilling or draining.

What happens if you mix copper and aluminum parts in a liquid cooling loop? A. Reduced pressure B. Electrochemical corrosion C. Low flow rate D. Higher noise

B. Electrochemical corrosion. Mixing dissimilar metals causes corrosion over time unless inhibitors are used.

PBQ: A system with a 140mm front intake and 120mm rear exhaust is dusty and overheating. What should be adjusted? A. Remove intake fan B. Add side fan only C. Balance airflow for positive pressure D. Replace motherboard

C. Balance airflow for positive pressure. Uneven airflow causes dust buildup and poor cooling; adding filters or matching intake/exhaust helps.

Which fan type provides the best balance of airflow and static pressure for a radiator? A. Sleeve bearing B. Axial fan C. PWM fan D. Static pressure fan

D. Static pressure fan. These are optimized to push air through dense radiators or heatsinks effectively.