TestOut LabSim A+ Certification Practice Exam

Which type of printer uses lasers and electrical charges to transfer images to paper?

1. Inkjet

2. Dot Matrix

3. Laser

4. Thermal

The correct answer is: Laser

The type of printer that uses lasers and electrical charges to transfer images to paper is the laser printer. This technology works by employing a laser beam to produce an image on a rotating drum, which is electrically charged. The areas of the drum that the laser hits lose their charge, allowing toner, a fine powder, to adhere to those areas. The drum then transfers the toner to the paper, which is subsequently heated to fuse the toner into a permanent image. This process is efficient and produces high-quality text and graphics, making laser printers a popular choice for both office and home printing needs. Other types of printers mentioned, like inkjet, dot matrix, and thermal, employ different technologies that do not involve lasers or electrical charges in the same manner. Inkjet printers spray microscopic droplets of ink onto paper, dot matrix printers use a print head that strikes an inked ribbon against the paper, and thermal printers rely on heat to transfer images onto special heat-sensitive paper.