3.3. Watching Out for EMI

A number of people confuse ESD with electromagnetic interference (EMI), which involves computer equipment receiving electrical interference from an outside source, such as another electrical device or a piece of machinery.

NOTE

Be sure to know the difference between ESD and EMI.

Although ESD often causes permanent damage (if you fry a computer chip, it is damaged permanently), EMI is, for the most part, temporary. For example, if you notice that your monitor display is distorted because you are getting interference from an outside source, moving the monitor away from the external source should get the monitor back to normal.

That being said, EMI exposure for a long period of time can cause permanent damage to computer components.

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