Which term denotes a hardware component that translates physical measurements into electrical signals?

• A. Sensor
• B. Transducer
• C. Actuator
• D. Clock

Answer: (B)

Transduction means turning energy from one form into another. A transducer is a device that converts a physical quantity into an electrical signal, which is exactly how physical measurements are turned into data for processing. While a sensor is a kind of transducer that senses a quantity and outputs a signal, the broader term that fits the description of translating physical measurements into electrical signals is transducer. An actuator does the reverse—converting electrical energy into motion or another form of energy—so it doesn’t match the idea of measuring and signaling. A clock is simply a timing device and doesn’t translate measurements at all.