Which term describes the device that detects changes in physical conditions such as light, temperature or pressure?

Which term describes the device that detects changes in physical conditions such as light, temperature or pressure?

• A. Input
• B. Sensor
• C. Output
• D. Process

Answer: (B)

A sensor is the device that detects changes in physical conditions such as light, temperature, or pressure and usually converts that change into a signal that a system can use. This ability to sense and translate environmental conditions into measurable data is what lets controllers make decisions and drive actions. For example, a light sensor in automatic lighting detects ambient light levels and informs the system when to switch the lights on or off; a temperature sensor in a thermostat reads room temperature to regulate heating or cooling; a pressure sensor in a tire monitor detects air pressure to warn you if it’s low. This distinguishes a sensor from other concepts: input is any data entering a system, output is what the system produces in response, and a process is the set of operations that transform inputs into outputs.

A sensor is the device that detects changes in physical conditions such as light, temperature, or pressure and usually converts that change into a signal that a system can use. This ability to sense and translate environmental conditions into measurable data is what lets controllers make decisions and drive actions. For example, a light sensor in automatic lighting detects ambient light levels and informs the system when to switch the lights on or off; a temperature sensor in a thermostat reads room temperature to regulate heating or cooling; a pressure sensor in a tire monitor detects air pressure to warn you if it’s low. This distinguishes a sensor from other concepts: input is any data entering a system, output is what the system produces in response, and a process is the set of operations that transform inputs into outputs.